Behind the Curtain
by Koiame
Summary: HD. Vamp. What yummie things await? Chapter 20 up. Read and Enjoy!
1. Memories

Author: Hey... This is a new fic... yeah... okay, stupid opening but I was having creative block and this came up in my head so yeah... a bit of Harry/Draco goodness never hurt anyone... cough Enjoy...  
  
Harry was tossing and turning in his tainted dream world. The now almost fully-grown wizard was sweating as he slept most horribly through the dark, cold, and rainy fall night. The otherwise quiet dorm was full with loud crashes of thunder and the emerald-eyed wizard's disheartening muffled sobs. His breathing was heavy and uneven as his hands clenched tightly to his bed sheets and his dampened face contorted in pain. Harry shot up quickly in his bed at the Gryffindor dormitory and looked around carefully, while withdrawing himself into an upright fetal position. His whole body was shaking from the nightmare he had just awoken violently from.  
  
"Oh god..." Harry whispered in cold, merciless fear.  
  
Harry had defeated the dark lord almost a year ago in his sixth year at Hogwarts, but in his dream the brave wizard had seen him alive and menacing. He knew that it wasn't possible after killing him with his own wand but the cold stare of the murderer was so real, just as it had been that winter night when everything had been taken from him and then given back to him. The emotional roller coaster was hellish to the then sixteen-year-old savior. That night his friends, Dumbledore, and even his rival, Draco Malfoy had sacrificed themselves for him. When the horrid battle was finally over, it had seemed to Harry like there was no point in living anymore without his friends or any of the people he cared about. Then it happened... Harry never figured out what had happened but after vanquishing Voldemort, a huge flash of light appeared and Harry awoke later in the hospital wing with Dumbledore, his friends, and Malfoy all there watching him revive. No one knew how this miracle came about, except maybe Dumbledore, but he'd never tell.  
  
The seventh-year Gryffindor was feeling sick as his mind tortured him with the memories of that unsettling night. Over and over the horrible images were played, one in particular Harry hated most of all. That night Draco had revealed his true nature to Harry, told him that he was a vampire, and turned on Voldemort to save Harry's life at the expense of his own. The image of the death curse hitting the blond vampire who then fell lifelessly to the ground shocked him the most.  
  
'Draco...' Harry thought worriedly as he pushed the palms of his hands into his closed, tear-filled eyes in a vain attempt to make the images cease.  
  
Harry's stomach was in knots as he tried to stifle his overwhelming cries of pain and anguish and also stop the images from hunting him down in his thoughts.  
  
'Oh god... make this stop... please make this STOP... Draco is fine... he is alive... Voldemort is dead and everything is fine... everything is just great...' Harry tried to console himself to no avail as the turning in his stomach became much worse and his head started pounding.  
  
"Everything is fine..." Harry whispered urgently to himself, ending up biting his lip in an attempt to keep from puking all over the place.  
  
'Why do I keep having these horrible dreams?!' The dark-haired savior asked himself.  
  
Every toned muscle on Harry's body twitched with great fear. He wanted desperately to see Draco and to know he was all right but subconsciously he just longed to be consoled by him and to feel the Vampire's arms wrapped tightly around his waist; to feel his kisses reassuring him of his safety. Harry though, did not realize his desires for Draco. In fact, Harry did not even consider any males in that way. So in short, Harry thought he was absolutely as strait as can be. Draco however knew it to be quite different...  
  
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The vampire was pacing the Slytherin's darkened common room in a somewhat violent state. Draco could feel his hot Griffindor love interest's fear because of his love for Harry and it was driving him mad with rage. Draco had suspected that Harry was his mate since the end of his fifth year but hadn't really seriously considered it until the days before Voldemort's total destruction.  
  
"Damn it! What the hell is wrong?! Harry... I hope you're alright." Draco said extremely worried.  
  
It was past three in the morning and the common room was devoid of all the other Slytherin residents. The dimming firelight seemed to gleam on the blonde's angry face.  
  
'If anyone is harming Harry I swear I'll torture them and then rip them apart! Harry... please be okay... Damn it!' Draco stormed in his head.  
  
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Harry dashed for the bathroom even though his legs shook violently in revolt. He soon reached the bathroom and proceeded in pukeing his insides out, unable to stop the wretching of his stomach. The images of Draco dying seemed to fade away slowly as his vomiting stopped. Harry slumped against the wall gasping for the air he had been denied while spewing out his breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  
  
'Oh god...' Harry's head throbbed in pain.  
  
The images had gone now and the terrible fear had subsided but some of the pain still lingered in Harry. The ache in his head continued steadily but it was nothing like the pain before he had awaken from his dream... the pain that was not supposed to be... Harry had defeated the dark lord but Harry was sure that just before he had awakened... his scar had burned sharply.  
  
Author: Hey... did ya like? There is more... if you review... . Hope you enjoyed!!! 


	2. Realization

Author: Hey... it is I once again... guess some people reviewed or I felt overly generous and updated sooner than I expected... in any case... enjoy...  
  
Potions class was always hell for Harry but today he was operating on no sleep. Snape however spared him no aggravation with his usual comments. He had already succeeded in taking 25 points from Griffindor because of Harry's less-than-perfect potion. To make things worse, Harry's lack of concern for his torture seemed to aggravate Snape even more. All Harry could do was think about how good it would feel just to put his head down for a bit and take a little nap but that was dangerous in a class with Snape...  
  
Draco was watching Harry almost nodding off to sleep many times only to be nudged awake by Hermione. Draco too was feeling slightly tired after being up worrying all night. Earlier at breakfast he had been relieved to see Harry safe, tired, but safe. Harry had seemed happy with Draco's presence also, which had pleased the possessive vampire very much.  
  
"As you may remember from your 13 page essay on the origins and uses of Wolves bane, you should remember that it is one of the primary uses in bringing down a werewolf... if you need a reminder of them, you can find it in your book. Don't forget to... yes Mr. Weasley..." Snape said in his monotone voice.  
  
"Uh... what page is it on Professor?" Ron asked putting down his raised hand.  
  
"Mr. Weasley if you expect to me to hand feed you the information then you obviously don't belong here... maybe you can change your schedule so you have classes more suited to your level of mastery... but I think the first year roster is full... Now if I can continue without any further pointless interruptions..." Snape addressed Ron and then looked over the class.  
  
Snape was not in a good mood recently. It was Harry's seventh year and Snape was still the potions master. In fact, Lupin had come back to Hogwarts to fill the Defense Against the Dark Arts position and signed a contract to teach for the next five years. Needless to say, Snape was extremely furious with this development.  
  
Draco couldn't help but take long glances at Harry. He wanted to tell the raven-haired god how he felt but couldn't get up the courage yet.  
  
'Maybe I should use some of that vampire charm... I mean... he wouldn't refuse could he? He is my mate after all...' Draco gulped at the thought he wouldn't be accepted.  
  
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Harry was starting to wonder why Draco kept starring at him a lot. It was weird but Harry thought that he kind of liked the looks Draco gave him. Lately Harry felt different about himself and many other things around him including the vampire.  
  
'Why does he keep staring at me? Did someone hex me or what is it? Do I have another head or horns on my forehead? Why is he just looking at me? It is very weird but strangely... I think I like it.' Harry thought carefully.  
  
The bell echoed loudly in the damp dungeon signaling the end of the double potions session. Everyone began to gather his or her things and leave as quickly as possible.  
  
"Thank god that's over! I don't think I could have stood another comment from the crooked-nosed, ugly, old bat!" Ron raged as the made their way thought the dungeon hallways.  
  
"Excuse me..." Draco, the vampire, came up from behind.  
  
"Oh... erm... no offence..." Ron said embarrassed.  
  
Ron still wasn't completely used to the idea that Draco was no longer their enemy even after last year. Hermione continued the flow of conversation with some boring news about some old artifacts found in Egypt.  
  
"Uh... what do we have now?" Harry asked the group.  
  
"Lunch of course." Hermione replied as if he should have known that.  
  
"And bloody hell am I glad. I don't think I could stand classes after listening to nasty old Snape!" Ron fumed.  
  
"He's not really that bad..." Draco said in reply to Ron's slanderous words about his favorite teacher.  
  
"Easy for you to say, you're his pet..." Ron said coldly.  
  
Draco looked at him very angrily.  
  
"Uh... why don't we go to lunch now..." Harry tried to make peace and stepped in between them as they walked to the Great Hall.  
  
The large hall sparked with excitement as a result of a notice that everyone was crowded around to see. Girlish squeals were heard mixed with talk and excitement, echoing throughout the crevices as a result of the domed ceiling.  
  
"Wonder what's going on..." Hermione asked as they walked closer.  
  
"Maybe they finally decided to let some of the older students drink fire whiskey... well, legally anyways." Ron said hopefully.  
  
Hermione gave him a look of dull disdain.  
  
"I doubt it Ron." Harry said as Patti Patil rushed up to Hermione.  
  
"Hey, have you heard the news yet?" Patti squealed with delight.  
  
"Uh... what's going on?" Harry asked her.  
  
"Oh Harry, I thought you would have know about it..." Patti said with confusion.  
  
"Me... I'm pretty sure I don't..." Harry said with the same confusion.  
  
"Oh, well anyways, there is going to be a huge party to celebrate the death of you-know-who." Patti squeaked.  
  
The happy Gryffindor girl ran off happily, no doubt to tell more people about the event.  
  
"They're having a party? Who's idea was that?" Hermione questioned with slight disgust.  
  
Just then, Dumbledor came into the noisy hall followed by the ageing Minister of Magic who's relentless talking annoyed the wise headmaster.  
  
"Two guesses who..." The tall redhead Gryffindor boy said.  
  
"Fudge." Draco answered the obvious for everyone.  
  
"I'll try and see what the exact date is." Hermione announced.  
  
"You're seriously considering going?" Ron said in disbelief.  
  
"Well, if I have a reason to I will." Hermione smiled at Ron and hurried over to the notice board.  
  
Ron was turning a light shade of scarlet at Hermione's words. Draco smirked as he watched the red-faced Griffindor.  
  
"Think she likes you Ron..." Harry smiled knowingly.  
  
"Eh... you think..." Ron beamed brighter shades of red.  
  
Harry and Draco started laughing at Ron's statement.  
  
"Oh shut up! Hmph... wait until you two find someone, then I'll be laughing." Ron threatened them in an attempt to stop their laughter.  
  
"Sorry Ron... it's just... great." Harry smiled.  
  
"And about time." Draco said amused.  
  
"Whatever." Ron said as Hermione came rushing back.  
  
"Hey. The sixth and seventh year's party is going to be held on Saturday, December 13th at 8:30 p.m. You don't have to have a date though it is preferred." Hermione said without breathing.  
  
'Hmm... this might be the chance I was waiting for...' Draco thought to himself.  
  
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Classes had seemed to drag on slowly for the rest of the day. The only light in people's day seemed to be the party. Even those not in their sixth or seventh year had a good cause to be very excited. The younger Hogwarts students were going to also have a party, as Harry later found out in the lively Gryffindor common room. The party was going to be much earlier and end way before their party even began. To the younger students, this didn't seem to be much of an issue though. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting in front of the fire talking about the homework they were piled on with and of course about the celebration.  
  
"Damn it! This history of magic assignment is so stupid! Does he really expect us to write a seventeen-page essay on ancient Egyptian's favorite magical items? I think he's gone mad!" Ron fumed while clenching his quill and pressing against his parchment.  
  
"It isn't that hard Ron. There is plenty of recorded information on the subject." Hermione said slightly frustrated with Ron's complaints.  
  
"Well, what do you have so far?" Ron asked the brown-haired witch.  
  
"Well, all that I have written on my final draft is: Although there are many artifacts that we know the Egyptians adored, one of the most talked about is a curtain that was discovered centuries ago by wizards and is believed to have connections with the dead. While this may be..." Hermione said smartly before being interrupted.  
  
"Fine, I got the point. But that doesn't change the fact." Ron said sternly.  
  
"And what fact do you think you have Ron..." Hermione said getting quite bothered by Ron's attitude.  
  
"The fact is that this whole thing is stupid. Who wants to know anything about some old artifacts that dead people used to like!" Ron spoke angrily.  
  
"I do Ron, and I would appreciate it if you'd just shut up about it! If you can't give things a chance then... then... it's your loss." Hermione shouted and stormed away.  
  
"Did I miss something?" Ron said amazed with Hermione's anger.  
  
"Yes Ron, I believe... you did." Harry said slowly.  
  
Ron threw his paper and quill down before he sank frustrated into the couch.  
  
"Why does that always seem to happen? I think I'll just go to bed now." Ron said and left the common room to seek peace in his sleep.  
  
Harry placed his homework down on the table and curled up on the couch.  
  
'If things weren't bad enough with the party and homework, now Ron and Hermione are going to be at it for days. Not to mention the nightmares about Draco I've been having. Why is it always that memory that hurts so badly? Even with Ron and Hermione dying in front of me, Draco dying hurt much more. When... when I saw him falling to the floor... oh god... what is going on with me. Do I have a thing for him or something?' Harry laughed uneasily to himself.  
  
Neville came up to Harry unusually happy.  
  
"Oh, hey Neville." Harry said trying to fake a smile.  
  
"Hiya Harry!" Neville said cheerfully.  
  
"What's going on?" Harry inquired of the forgetful Gryffindor.  
  
"Ginny just said she'd go to the dance with me!" Neville said while grinning.  
  
"That's wonderful Neville!" Harry said, attempting to seem as happy for him as possible.  
  
It wasn't that Harry wasn't happy for Neville. On the contrary, Harry would have normally been happy to share in Neville's glee but Harry's mind was racing with thoughts about the nightmares and Draco. Harry barely paid attention as Neville sat down and told him of Seamus and Dean going steady and the jinx he had managed to correctly perform.  
  
"Uh... Harry, are you feeling alright?" Neville asked the inattentive dark- haired boy.  
  
"Oh, yeah... um... well, maybe I'll just go up to bed and rest... I guess I am a bit tired." Harry said trying to minamalize everything.  
  
"Oh sure... sorry. Hope you feel better." Neville said slightly worried.  
  
"Thanks." Harry replied and left up the creaky staircase to his dormitory.  
  
Harry made his way over to his bed and sat down on the edge of it. Ron was completely out of it by the sound of his snoring. Harry rubbed his face and his weary eyes as he sat there thinking to himself in the deathly cold room.  
  
'Oh god... what is going on with me?' Harry asked himself in his head.  
  
The weary savior got up slowly and sat by the nearest window. The stone was icy cold beneath him and the picture outside the window emulated the chaos that brewed in Harry's mind. The terrible thunder and lightning was like that of last night and the rain seemed to tap violently against the castle as before.  
  
'Draco... why am I feeling this way? Why is it that I always think about you? I don't understand. And when I'm near you... I feel... I feel like I... I...' Harry couldn't breathe.  
  
"I love you." Harry whispered weakly.  
  
Tears started pouring down Harry's face showing his total confusion. He didn't understand why or how the feelings he had for the vampire were so very strong. He didn't know how the connection with Draco had come about and he was slightly scared by his desires. Understand it or not though, Harry was falling uncontrollably in love with the charming blonde-haired Slytherin.  
  
Author: Did you like that chappie? It was really long... if you review... who knows, I may update... . Till next time... 


	3. Troubles

Author: Hey... yep... just me... guess I have fans... whoo hoo... well... here... this is for you all...  
  
One night just before winter came, evil wandered the corridors of Hogwarts. The days and nights that would follow would be found to be extremely odd to say the least. Harsh cold winter winds blew though the halls and icicles adorned doors in those areas and in the normally cold wet dungeons, it was at least 100 degrees. These cold and hot snaps were not the only things wrong at Hogwarts. Some people began to act strangely after things began to disappear as everyone suspected each other. One winter afternoon, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were just coming from their last class of the day when they bumped into some other students.  
  
"Sorry." Hermione tried to apologize as they got up.  
  
"Move out of the way." Shouted the tall Ravenclaw girl that Hermione had bumped into.  
  
The group of five that Harry and his friends had bumped into looked quite angry. Hermione recognized that three of them were from Ravenclaw, one from Griffindor and the last from Hufflepuff.  
  
"What are you looking at Potter?" A dark-haired Ravenclaw boy grabbed Harry's robes.  
  
"Look... we're not looking for trouble, we didn't mean to run into you now let us pass." Harry demanded sharply.  
  
"Heh... I'll tell you when you can pass..." He said angrily and lifted Harry up into the air slightly.  
  
"Put me down!" Harry said while struggling.  
  
"No, I think not. It's hard to believe such a weakling could have defeated the Dark Lord." Harry's confronter said while smirking.  
  
"Put him down!" Ron yelled and pulled out his wand only to be slammed into a wall by a short Hufflepuff girl's spell.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione screamed and ran over to him.  
  
"What is going on here..." The cold, familiar voice of their potions master rang out.  
  
Draco stood in front of the potions professor with eyes glowing red in anger. The Ravenclaw boy let go of Harry quickly and turned to Snape and a pissed of Malfoy.  
  
"Nothing." The nasty Ravenclaw said with distaste.  
  
"It doesn't seem to be nothing... Twenty-five points will be taken from all houses except Slytherin. Now move it..." The dark-haired profession spat with an uncontrolled smirk.  
  
The group of five turned and left hurriedly with quick glances of malice directed toward Harry and the others. Snape turned to the angry vampire who was barely controlling his urge to tear the rotten group apart.  
  
"Malfoy, take care of this... and don't shred anyone to pieces. Our house can't afford to lose any house points." Snape told the Slytherin before leaving.  
  
"What was that about?" Harry said while rubbing his head.  
  
"Ron... Ron... are you okay? Ron..." Hermione pleaded for Ron to wake up.  
  
"Eh... does this mean you're talking to me again?" Ron said grinning while opening his eyes  
  
"I wouldn't push it..." Hermione said with a mixture of annoyance and relief.  
  
Hermione helped Ron up with difficulty but after a few minutes he was able to walk on his own.  
  
"Harry are you alright?" Hermione asked with a slight worry to her voice.  
  
"Huh... oh, I'm fine... I just... have a headache..." Harry told the inquisitive witch.  
  
"Maybe you should go to the hospital wing." Draco said, trying to hide his concern.  
  
"Um... no... I think I'll just go lay down or something..." Harry said weakly.  
  
"If you're sure, I'm going to take Ron to the hospital wing so... if you want to come..." Hermione tried.  
  
"You're doing what? But I'm fine..." Ron tried to protest.  
  
"You were thrown into a wall and knocked unconscious, Ron!" Hermione shouted.  
  
"But..." Ron began to protest again.  
  
"And his head is bleeding..." Draco said coolly.  
  
"No it isn't..." Ron said hotly.  
  
"That's it... you're coming with me right now!" Hermione said frustrated with Ron.  
  
Hermione dragged Ron by the arm towards the hospital wing, the redhead continuing to protest as they disappeared down the hall. Harry's scar was burning with pain. It felt the same way as when Voldemort used to touch him with his cold, evil hands. The raven-haired savior felt as if the cold breath of the Dementors was chilling his whole body, choking him as his lungs felt as they were freezing inside of him.  
  
'What's happening to me...' Harry thought as he fell helplessly to his hands and knees, gasping desperately for air.  
  
"Harry!" The horrified vampire almost screamed as he rushed to his crush's side.  
  
Harry fell to the cold floor as a sea of unconsciousness overwhelmed him. Feeling completely helpless, Draco picked up Harry's cold, limp form while pleading with him to hold on.  
  
'Damn it Harry... what's wrong, what do I do? I've got to get him the hospital wing, now! Hold on, please just stay with me...' The desperate vampire screamed in his head.  
  
Without another second passing, Draco picked up his emerald-eyed god into his strong arms.  
  
"Okay Harry, hold on..." Draco told him before they both disappeared.  
  
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Draco reappeared with Harry in the Hospital Wing less than a second later, startling some of the people in there.  
  
"What happened Mr. Malfoy?" Madam Pomfrey rushed to Draco at the edge of hysteria.  
  
"I don't know, he just collapsed..." Draco said losing most of his composure.  
  
"Bring him over to this bed." The nurse said urgently as she directed his attention to the nearest bed.  
  
The panicked vampire rushed his inamorato to the bed and placed him down gently. The nurse used her wand to check Harry's condition and then ventured to an old oak cabinet, returning in a few minutes with a bottle of blue liquid.  
  
"What is that?" The handsome vampire questioned with concern.  
  
"It's a warming potion. It should help, but I've never seen this before... are you sure he didn't complain of anything?" Madam Pomfrey questioned the Malfoy.  
  
"He was rubbing his head but that's it... why a warming potion?" Draco asked her.  
  
"Harry's body temperature is decreasing rapidly... this potion should reverse it..." She informed the fearful Slytherin.  
  
Draco looked down at his cold flame with concern as Madam Pomfrey made Harry drink the potion with a charm.  
  
"That's all I can do for now, we'll just have to wait." She told him.  
  
"Can I stay with him in case he gets sicker or wakes up in the night or something." Draco half pleaded with her.  
  
The school nurse thought for a moment about it carefully.  
  
"Fine, just come and wake me up if anything goes wrong and he gets worse." Madam Pomfrey consented finally at the helpless look of the almost always- composed vampire.  
  
She brought Draco a pillow and a blanket after telling him he could sleep in the adjacent bed. Leaving the nervous vampire with Harry, Madam Pomfrey blew out most of the lights and went to bed. For the exception of a few sleeping patients, Harry and Draco were almost completely alone in the dark room.  
  
"Harry, please get better..." The worried vampire whispered and held the hand of his cold lover.  
  
Author: Did you like that chappie... sorry for that big cliffhanger. . If you review, I may update for you... . till next chappie... 


	4. Barriers

Author: Hey... I love it when people review... well, here goes another chappie... enjoy...  
  
Harry felt so warm and safe as he awoke in the early morning. His vision was blurred as he opened his eyes; no doubt due to the absence of his glasses. The raven-haired boy's head spun slightly but he could feel someone's hand warming his and the Gyffindor looked to see a blurry image of the sleeping vampire.  
  
_'Draco... where am I? I must be in the hospital wing or something... but why?_' Harry thought to himself in the early hours of the morning.  
  
Harry didn't want to wake Draco so he lay there contently enjoying the warmth of the sleeping boy's breath.  
  
'_He was worried about me...Damn it... guess I can't make any more excuses... he looks so gentle when he sleeps... I could get used to this._' Harry blushed and then sighed contently.  
  
The sleeping beau eventually awoke and was happy to see Harry was the same, though he tried to not show it.  
  
"Harry? Are you okay?" Draco asked as they both sat up.  
  
Harry grabbed his glasses off of the nightstand with his free hand.  
  
"Uh, I think so..." Harry said while looking into the vampire's eyes.  
  
"What... happened?" Draco asked him.  
  
"I... um... if I tell you something, do you promise not to tell anyone." Harry asked him.  
  
"If it's not life threatening, then I won't tell." Draco said coolly.  
  
"Um... I'm not sure if it is or not..." Harry said carefully.  
  
"Harry... tell me." The vampire said and looked seriously into his eyes.  
  
"I've been having nightmares about that night and today after the fight I felt as if a Dementor had it's arms around me and... I couldn't breathe and both times my scar burned..." Harry spilled almost everything to the attentive vampire.  
  
Draco's eyes were wide with overwhelming concern for his crush. Silence followed and Harry looked away from Draco, ashamed because of the burden he had just made the vampire share.  
  
"I'm... sorry. I shouldn't have said anything..." Harry apologized to his confidant.  
  
"Don't be sorry, it was important." Draco told his emerald-eyed desire softly.  
  
A knock came at the hospital wing door and Madam Pomfrey came from her room to open the door to a slightly ruffled Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione yelled when she saw him.  
  
The pair came over quickly to the surprised boys.  
  
"Are you alright... we just heard... what happened..." Hermione started going off with questions.  
  
"He got sick and collapsed after you two left." Draco said calmly.  
  
"I thought you two were coming here yesterday, where were you?" Harry questioned trying to keep the conversation from going into an unwanted direction.  
  
"Uh... the closet we were in got locked by Peeves and he wouldn't let us out until this morning..." Hermione explained.  
  
"Oh... how did you end up in a closet in the first place?" Draco inquired while repressing a small smile.  
  
"Uh... that's not really important. What's important is that Harry's fine... aren't you Harry?" Hermione tried to cover things up.  
  
"Uh... yeah... just fine." Harry lied with a weak smile.  
  
Draco gave Harry a small look but played along with it.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey gave him some medicine and now he's better." Draco tried to back up Harry.  
  
"That's great!" Hermione said happily.  
  
Madam Pomfrey made her way from one of the other students in the infirmary to Harry and his group of friends.  
  
"Mr. Potter how are you feeling today?" Madam Pomfrey inquired of her patient.  
  
"I'm fine." Harry told her while faking another small smile.  
  
"Can he leave?" Ron asked her.  
  
"Fine but if he doesn't feel well again, bring him back here immediately." Madam Pomfrey declared after looking over Harry quickly.  
  
Without any more words Harry got up and they left the hospital wing. Harry was feeling much better but that didn't keep Draco from glancing worriedly at his secret crush often.  
  
"Today's Monday right? What classes do we have?" Harry asked Ron.  
  
"None." Ron said grinning.  
  
"What?" Harry asked in confusion.  
  
"Well, our first class was canceled because of a thick sheet of ice on the doors and hallway surrounding it, the second class we have is Transfiguration and Professor McGonagall came down with a nasty case of the flu, and the last class we can't have because Hagrid is busy chipping off the sheets of ice that cover the walls of our first class." Hermione informed with some disappointment in her voice.  
  
"Hey, I know what we can do... anyone up for a game of wizard's chess?" Ron asked.  
  
"Honestly Ron, I thought you'd decide to finally work on your homework." Hermione scolded him.  
  
"Oh come on... lets not start that again... I'll do it eventually..." Ron half whined.  
  
The group spent the day in the library; Hermione made them all attempt to work on homework but conversation quickly broke though. Quidditch was talked about at great length, annoying Hermione quite a bit. The winter day seemed to flow smoothly though, even after Ron got is "new" dress robes sent to him from Mrs. Weasley. Harry also received new dress robes from Mrs. Weasley that she had bought for him. Harry always felt guilty when the Weasleys got him something. Night soon came and they all retreated to their common rooms, Draco left with Crabbe and Goyle at the end of dinner to go to theirs.  
  
"There... fifteen pages done! Now can I take a break Hermione?" Ron begged her.  
  
"Hnnn.... fine, just as long as you finish it tomorrow." The bushy-haired girl told him.  
  
Hermione sat in a chair by the fire with Croakshanks curled up on her lap, Ron now sat back reading a broomstick catalog in his chair, and Harry sat deep in thought while pretending to be working hard on homework. The truth is, Harry was burdened by unpleasant thoughts regarding his desires for Draco. Harry knew that he loved Draco but was worried that the handsome vampire didn't share in that love. The Griffindor also was concerned that even if the affection was returned, Harry's nightmares and headaches would be an unfair hassle for his valentine.  
  
"I think I'm going to go to bed now..." Hermione said after almost everyone had cleared out of the common room.  
  
"Yeah, I think I will too... it must be past midnight." Ron agreed and got up.  
  
"You go ahead, I'm gonna keep working on this." Harry said as Ron waited for him.  
  
"Goodnight..." Ron said and they both left for their own rooms.  
  
Ron and Hermione's departure left Harry alone downstairs in front of the dying firelight. Harry put down the homework he had been pretending to do and cuddled up in his comfy red armchair.  
  
_'I can't stop thinking about everything... the only time I have any piece of mind is when I'm with Draco. Maybe I just want to be around him for that reason and that would be wrong wouldn't it?_' Harry closed his eyes and sighed.  
  
Sleep was overtaking the young Gryffindor when something caught his attention. The portrait door creaked open slightly and Harry heard faint hissing noises that sounded like words he knew.  
  
"Burn everything..." A whisper came from outside the portrait hole.  
  
Harry thought he was just dreaming as he drifted off to sleep, but he would soon find out that it was no dream...  
  
Author: Another cliffie... sorry... but if you review lots, I'll be happy to update... . till then... .


	5. Flames

Author: Yeah... I love the reviews... I'm feeling special... lol... .  
  
So warm... Harry felt like he was in an oven as he tossed and turned uncomfortably in his nightmare. The sleeping Gryffindor dreamt that the Ravenclaw he had almost fought with earlier was holding him over an active volcano. In Harry's dream world, Draco came from the shadows with his eyes glowing red in anger and pounced on his love's captive. The raven-haired beauty felt himself drop into the hole; being burned as he went deeper and deeper down while choking on the black smoke that surrounded him. Harry awoke as he heard screaming and yelling all around him.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione yelled as the just-awoken boy looked around.  
  
Fire was everywhere he looked. Harry hopped up quickly and saw all the Gryffindors dashing out of the portrait hole as they tried to escape the fire and thick smoke. Hermione's face appeared the only one not moving as she yelled for Harry to come.  
  
"What happened?" Harry asked as he tried to make his way around the lines of fire.  
  
"I don't know... but you've gotta get out of here..." Hermione screamed as she was pushed out the door by a crowd of people.  
  
"Potter..." A snake-like voice came from somewhere.  
  
"Who are you..." Harry looked around, trying to avoid the fire.  
  
Everyone was now out of the common room except for Harry who still straggled behind.  
  
"Potter..." The eerie voice came once again from somewhere in the burning room.  
  
"I don't know who you are, but we have to get out of here..." Harry told the voice and tried for the portrait hole.  
  
A burst of flames erupted in front of Harry, blocking the portrait hole. Harry took out his wand.  
  
"You're not going anywhere..." The same voice told the trapped Gryffindor.  
  
Harry tried a freezing spell of the flames but it didn't work to his great dismay; in fact, nothing Harry tried on the fire would work.  
  
_'What is going on?_' Harry thought frantically.  
  
"Nothing you try is going to work... nothing can stop my flames." The voice laughed evilly.  
  
Harry looked around for some sort of escape as he choked on the smoke.  
  
_'What do I do... think Harry, think! Well... this way is blocked, but what if... that's it..._' Harry thought as he dodged flames and dashed up the burning staircase.  
  
The smoke was much thicker up here but at least there were fewer flames, Harry had thought. Harry choked for lack of air as he reached for the doorknob to his dorm.  
  
"Ah..." Harry yelled in surprise as he withdrew his hand from the hot doorknob.  
  
"You were supposed to be in your dormitory asleep..." The voice came from down the hall.  
  
The flames were spreading quickly from the stairway. Harry tried forcing the door open by running into it a few times, but it wouldn't budge. Harry whipped out his wand from his pocket.  
  
"Dilorico!" Harry shouted the opening spell as the yellow light hit the door.  
  
The door blasted open to reveal a hellish scene. Fire was almost completely engulfing everything, including Ron, to Harry's complete horror.  
  
"Ron!" Harry yelled and raced over to him.  
  
Ron was trying to put out the flames by rolling on the ground but it wasn't working too well. Harry was horrified as he watched his best friend being burned by the flames and looked around for anything to put the fire out. Harry grabbed his bed sheets and wrapped Ron in them to smother the flames.  
  
"Harry..." Ron coughed once the fire on him was out.  
  
"Don't worry Ron, I'll get you out of here!" Harry reassured the redhead.  
  
"No you won't..." The voiced hissed at Harry.  
  
"Watch me..." Harry spoke to it determinedly.  
  
The dark-haired Gryffindor ran to his trunk and opened it, taking out his broomstick, and darted back to Ron.  
  
"Dilorico!" Harry hit the nearest window with his opening charm.  
  
"I wont let you leave..." The creature's voice rang as its blue eyes peered at them from the fire in the hall.  
  
"What is that?" Ron asked Harry after seeing it.  
  
"I don't know, but you've got to get out of here." Harry told him before giving the redhead his broomstick.  
  
"What about you... you're coming too right!" Ron yelled desperately at his best friend.  
  
"It's me, it's after... not you..." Harry explained to the scared Gryffindor.  
  
"You don't have to be a martyr, Harry... I'll fight it with you and then we can both leave!" Ron tried to talk his friend out of it.  
  
"There is no time... just go..." Harry commanded him.  
  
"I'm not leaving without you!" Ron said firmly.  
  
"I'm sorry Ron, but you are." Harry said and pointed his wand at his friend.  
  
"Harry..." Ron said surprised.  
  
"Ron, leave or I'll make you." Harry told him, leaving no question about it.  
  
"Fine, but I'll go get help..." Ron finally broke down at the look his raven- haired friend.  
  
Ron hopped on the broomstick and flew out of the window to go get help. Harry turned his attention, and wand, back at his opponent.  
  
"What do you want?" Harry asked the glowing eyes.  
  
"Very noble of you to save your friend... Noble but stupid." The creature snickered at Harry.  
  
"I asked you, what do you want?" Harry repeated himself while watching his enemy carefully.  
  
"You really thought it was all over didn't you." The voice hissed from the fire.  
  
"What are you talking about?!" Harry yelled at it, sick of the games.  
  
"It doesn't really matter now, Potter. You'll soon burn to ash in my flames and glory will be given back to him..." It laughed wickedly.  
  
Fire burst from where the creature was and Harry dodged it as he leapt onto his bed. The flames quickly surrounded Harry as he tried frantically to put out the fire to no success.  
  
"Goodbye Harry Potter..." The voice laughed at the trapped hero.  
  
--------------------  
  
All the students were gathered in the great hall in the middle of the night talking about what had just happened. Hermione was searching throughout the crowds of people for Harry, Ron, and Draco worriedly.  
  
"Has anyone seen Harry... or Ron... or Draco..." Hermione questioned everyone she ran into, getting the same negative response every time.  
  
"Harry's in danger, I know it..." Draco told himself.  
  
"Draco!" Hermione yelled and ran over to him.  
  
"Where's Harry?" Draco asked the young witch.  
  
"I don't know and Ron is missing to... I hope they're alright." Hermione informed the nervous Slytherin.  
  
"Harry's in danger..." Draco announced.  
  
"How do you know that..." Hermione asked him getting increasingly afraid for her two friends.  
  
"Never mind that, where did you see him last?" Draco interrogated his source of information.  
  
"I..." Hermione began before the huge doors of Hogwarts slammed open.  
  
Ron flew in there on Harry's broomstick, burned and shaken. A few people gasped when they saw the condition he was in and Hermione looked as it she would faint.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione screamed.  
  
"Someone... help..." Ron said while coughing.  
  
Hermione and Draco ran to him, shoving everyone in their way.  
  
"What happened, where's Harry?" Hermione asked him frantically.  
  
"The thing... the monster... in the dormitory..." Ron tried between uneven breaths.  
  
"What happened?!" Draco stormed.  
  
"It wouldn't let him leave and... now Harry's fighting it..." Ron said before collapsing.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione held him in her arms.  
  
"I've got to go rescue him." Draco said committed and vanished.  
  
"Someone get the nurse, quickly!" Hermione screamed.  
  
------------------  
  
Flames where everywhere in the common room when the vampire popped up in there. The vampire dashed thought the flames up the crumbling staircase towards his beloved Harry.  
  
"Harry! Harry!" Draco yelled for him as he ran down the fire-filled hallway, not caring when he was burned.  
  
The vampire stopped when he reached an open door with flames engulfing almost the entire room.  
  
"Harry!" Draco yelled in desperation as he charged though the flames.  
  
The vampire saw his love passed out on a bed as flames licked at his body.  
  
'_Oh no..._' Draco thought with complete and totally fear for his mate's safety.  
  
The vampire rushed over to Harry and picked him up in his arms, hopefully not for the last time and searched for an escape route. The vampire heard something moving around in the flames and he looked around for whatever it was.  
  
'_It must be the monster Weasley spoke of..._' Draco thought.  
  
He looked at his limp lover in his arms.  
  
'_I don't have time to fight whatever it is... I have to get Harry out of here..._' Draco thought, trying to keep his composure.  
  
The Slytherin spotted an open window and made it their escape route as he dashed for it.  
  
'_Harry...don't die... I need you... I just wish you knew that...I won't let you die..._' Draco thought as he jumped out the window with Harry tightly in his arms.  
  
The vampire turned their bodies so that he was below Harry as they fell and without a second to lose, the pair disappeared.  
  
---------------------  
  
A nurse was attending to Ron as the teachers were barely managing to keep control over the scared students. The control did not last long though when a large thump was heard as a just-appeared Draco and Harry hit the floor hard. The vampire had cushioned Harry's fall, never letting go of him even after he felt his bones break. A few girls screamed at the sight of the burnt Gryffindor unconscious on top of the now bloody Slytherin.  
  
---------------------  
  
Hermione sat all alone outside the Hospital Wing's door crying as her three best friends where in there. Dumbledore had told her to wait outside for her own good but that was something Hermione didn't think could help now. Inside Draco was regaining consciousness as his strong self-healing powers slowly restored his health. Ron was still unconscious as he lay peacefully in bed with tons of burn-healing goo all over his body. Harry was still being treated for burns, smoke inhalation, and a few other things by Madam Pomfrey. The vampire watched sadly as his flame remained unconscious on his hospital bed. The vampire was almost completely healed but he was in so much pain.  
  
'_Harry... wake up please... wake up for me..._' Draco wished for Harry in his mind.  
  
The gorgeous vampire was laying down watching Harry sleep when, to his utter delight, he saw his passion's eyes open.  
  
"Draco..." Harry breathed.  
  
"Harry..." The happy blonde returned.  
  
"What happened?" The emerald-eyed heartthrob asked.  
  
"It's a long story. Are you all right? You were passed out on your bed when I found you and I thought well..." The vampire went on with concern until he stopped himself.  
  
"I'm fine... thank you." Harry said smiling.  
  
The nurse came over when she saw Harry was awake. Madam Pomfrey then began to look Harry's burns over while Draco beamed to himself.  
  
'_I think Harry realized my feelings for him... I hope..._' The overjoyed light- haired boy thought happily.  
  
Hermione rushed in, unable to wait outside any longer.  
  
"Can't a guy get any rest around here..." A just-awakened red-haired Gryffindor yelled.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione shouted and ran over to him crying.  
  
"Hermione... what's the matter, I'm fine..." Ron said, taken aback.  
  
Hermione hugged Ron, unable to stop crying.  
  
"Bloody hell..." Ron bit his lip as the brown-haired girl's arms wrapped around his burned skin.  
  
"I'm sorry..." Hermione let go and sat in a chair next to the bed while trying to control her tears.  
  
"Well... looks like all of us made it though alive." Harry smiled.  
  
"Like I'd let you die just like that..." The vampire grinned at his favorite Gryffindor.  
  
"Ron... are you sure you're alright..." Hermione asked.  
  
"Hermione I'm fine!" Ron told her slightly annoyed.  
  
Hermione looked at him skeptically.  
  
"I'll prove it to you if you'll go to the dance with me." Ron said with a small grin.  
  
"I'd love to, Ron." Hermione blushed.  
  
Harry was trying to keep from laughing, causing odd squeaking noises.  
  
"Oh shut up, Harry... at least I have a date..." Ron said a bit flustered.  
  
Hermione nudged him in the ribs very hard with her elbow.  
  
"Don't mind him. The lack of oxygen must have affected his brain." Hermione said annoyed with her redheaded date.  
  
The conversation continued in the hospital wing until Ron and Harry's burns were completely healed and they were all allowed to leave.  
  
"Is anyone else hungry?" Ron asked as they were walking away.  
  
"I guess." The raven-haired Gryffindor said.  
  
'_That thing is probably still lurking around somewhere. If it was after Harry, I don't think that's the last time I'll be seeing it._' Draco thought as they walked the halls.  
  
"Draco, are you alright?" Harry asked when he saw the look on the vampire's face.  
  
"Yeah... I'm fine." Draco lied as they walked on.  
  
Harry gave the vampire a worried look. Draco loved the way Harry's eyes sparkled with concern for him and the blonde longed to grasp his raven-haired love's warm hand.  
  
Author: Muhahaha... I thought I'd never finish that chapter... it was definitely the hardest one to write so far. I hated myself for writing some of it. At least it was nice and long though. Review and you can see what happens next... . hehehe... 


	6. Conversations

Author: Wow... I can't help but keep these chappies coming... all the reviews are totally awesome! Unfortunately I'm really busy this weekend because we found a baby bird on the ground and are now trying to find out what to do to save it and so I may not get to update until Monday after this. cries Oh, and a request for fluffiness is what I saw on the reviews... don't worry... I'll get to that **_eventually_**... Muhahaha... . Enjoy...  
  
Breakfast was fairly chaotic that morning. Ginny informed everyone at the Gryffindor table that their common room wasn't the only one that had been destroyed. The Hufflepuff common room had been turned into an igloo.  
  
"This is horrible!" Ron said while stuffing his face with a piece of waffle.  
  
Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were sitting at the Griffindor table with them.  
  
"Yes, it is..." Draco said staring at Ron, slightly grossed out by his messy eating.  
  
"What happened exactly last night?" Hermione asked them.  
  
"Well... after both of you went to bed, I was sitting in the common room thinking about things and I heard a voice say burn everything. I thought I was just dreaming or something, but when I woke up there was fire everywhere." Harry began to tell the tale.  
  
"No one woke me up and when I finally did it was because I was on fire!" Ron said angrily, stabbing his fork in a waffle.  
  
"I thought you would already have left or I would have gotten you..." Hermione apologized to her Gryffindor boy.  
  
"I know." Ron said glumly and poured syrup on his waffle.  
  
"Well, I tried to leave after everyone else did but whatever it was wouldn't let me go and blocked the way with fire. When I went upstairs to get my broom to fly out, I found Ron rolling on the ground covered with fire. I put the fire out with the blanket from my bed and got my firebolt but I couldn't leave." Harry continued telling what had happened.  
  
"Yeah... uh... Harry... why were you hissing at it? The monster I mean." Ron asked after swallowing some oatmeal.  
  
"What? I was? You mean you didn't hear it?" Harry asked Ron slightly surprised.  
  
"It must have been some sort of serpent then. Harry, you're a parselmouth remember!" Hermione deduced.  
  
"Yeah... that makes sense. So you didn't hear what it said?" Harry asked Ron.  
  
"No, why?" Ron questioned him.  
  
"Um... no reason. But it told me it wouldn't let me leave so I made Ron fly away on my broom while I stayed behind so he could escape. I don't remember much after that except dodging a blast of fire from the monster and landing on my bed." Harry explained.  
  
"Thanks for saving me back there, Harry." Ron thanked him before taking a drink of pumpkin juice.  
  
"We were looking for you when Ron flew in and told us about what had taken place. After that, Draco disappeared into thin air. I don't know what happened after that." Hermione continued the listing of events while turning to Draco.  
  
"First I went to the Gryffindor common room but didn't find Harry so I went up the stairs to where he was and found he was passed out on the bed. I picked Harry up and heard something crawling on the floor around us. I just figured it was the monster Ron had mentioned and jumped out of the window so it wouldn't come with us when I shifted Harry and I to the Great Hall. The last thing I remember is hitting the ground." Draco continued.  
  
"Yeah... everyone heard the loud crunch of you bones breaking." Ron said getting queasy remembering.  
  
"What?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah, Draco used his body to cushion your fall." Hermione informed him.  
  
"Really? Thanks..." Harry thanked Draco for saving his life in awe at the vampire's selflessness.  
  
"No problem." Draco smiled slightly and then took a bite of his breakfast.  
  
'_Wow... I know he saved my life once before but... I didn't think that he... maybe he... loves me?_' Harry thought to himself, trying hard not to blush.  
  
"Anyways, what happened after? I mean... is our common room and dorms toast or what?" Ron asked curiously.  
  
"I don't know. When I got trapped by the flame, magic didn't work on the fire." Harry informed them.  
  
"Really? Are you sure?" Hermione said as if a great revelation had came upon her.  
  
"Yeah... why?" Harry asked the excited girl.  
  
"And you were able to smother the flame?" Hermione continued her questions.  
  
"Um, yeah." Harry confirmed, wondering where this was all going.  
  
"I wonder if... oh god... come on, we have to go, now!" Hermione told them urgently and bolted up from the table.  
  
"Wait, Hermione... what's going on?" Ron asked as he tried to swallow a mouthful of oatmeal.  
  
"No time to explain, now come on!" Hermione told him as she waited for them anxiously.  
  
"Will the prefects and heads of houses please come up here!" Professor McGonagall requested loudly.  
  
Hermione looked quite frustrated and anxious as they all reluctantly went to go up and see what the Gryffindor head of house wanted. Harry came too because he had been made head boy of Gryffindor by Dumbledore. Draco was also proud to be the Slytherin head boy. The graying Professor waited as the house heads and prefects gathered around her before she spoke.  
  
"As you all undoubtedly know, there was a large fire in the Gryffindor dormitories and the Hufflepuff's dormitories have been frozen solid. The teachers are currently trying to melt the ice and smother the fire, but no spells have proved to be affective. Therefore, the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors will have to share living facilities with the Ravenclaws and Slytherins." McGonagall told everyone as if she was teaching a class.  
  
"Please Professor, what caused these things to happen?" Asked Hanna Abbot, a newly appointed prefect.  
  
"We are not quite sure at this point as we are still trying to put out the flames and melt the ice in the common rooms. As heads of houses and prefects, you are to inform everyone in your respective houses of the passwords. An announcement will be made in all classes tomorrow informing everyone of where to go. Hufflepuffs will be staying with the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors with the Slytherins." Professor McGonagall informed them.  
  
"Looks like you'll be seeing more of us." Harry joked to Draco.  
  
"Yeah... but don't expect a décor change." The vampire returned playfully.  
  
"Prefects will be paired off with their counterparts, same with the head boys and girls. First year boys and girls will be bunked separately; second, third and so on will be the same. Any questions, ask your Head of House. Extra beds will be provided in every room. That is all for now." The Professor told them all and left them to talk.  
  
"Maybe we should tell her about the monster you guys saw..." Hermione thought aloud.  
  
"No... remember what happened last time a snake was on the loose... I don't want that whole Parselmouth thing to come back to haunt me again..." Harry said resolutely.  
  
"But shouldn't we at least tell Dumbledore? I mean... we've got to let him know haven't we?" Ron reasoned with his friend.  
  
"Whatever it is, probably is loose right now and walking the halls... if this got out, it could be second year all over again. Maybe we should wait until we know a little more..." Harry said warily, not wanting to face the headmaster.  
  
"But..." Ron tried before being cut off.  
  
"No... Harry's right... if he tells Dumbledore, then we wont get to have a look around our common room." Hermione concluded.  
  
"And we would want to why?" Ron asked the brown-eyed witch, completely perplexed.  
  
"To look for clues of course." Hermione told him as if he was missing the obvious.  
  
"We'll have to wait until they manage to put out the fire though." Harry noted.  
  
"Never a dull moment..." Ron sighed in defeat.  
  
They all retreated to the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Hey." Luna Lovegood, the Ravenclaw said as she came up to them.  
  
"Oh hi Luna. What's going on?" Hermione asked her.  
  
"Nothing... can I sit with you guys?" Luna said with a shaky voice while looking around her.  
  
"Sure." Hermione permitted, slightly worried by Luna's skittishness.  
  
"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Harry questioned her skeptically.  
  
"Well, normally lots of my things go missing, but now other people's stuff is going missing too and... a few people aren't too fond of me." Luna said as she looked over her shoulder.  
  
"Really? Why aren't people getting along with you?" Hermione questioned with continued concern.  
  
"It's not so much everyone as just three other Ravenclaws and a few of their friends. Most of them used to be nice but recently they've been bullying everyone around.  
  
"That's doesn't sound good." Ron said as he grabbed some food that was still left on the table.  
  
"Yeah... I can't wait to go home for Christmas break to get away." Luna sighed.  
  
"When exactly is Christmas break?" Harry asked.  
  
"It's the day after the ball. It's pretty nice how they made it so you can go to the party and visit home." Hermione said.  
  
"Are you leaving then for Christmas?" Ron asked his date.  
  
"I might. Dad and Mom want me to go skiing with them so I'm not sure if I can stay, are you?" Hermione asked him.  
  
"Mum is probably going to make me go home. All the hassle just because Bill and Charlie are going to be home for Christmas!" Ron replied bitterly.  
  
"I can't go home so I guess I'll be here." Draco announced.  
  
"You can't?" Harry asked curiously.  
  
"Yeah, mum wants me to stay here since dad's coming home." The vampire said, trying to keep any sorrow from his voice.  
  
"What?" Hermione said unable to control her surprise at his statement.  
  
Lucius Malfoy had been in Azkaban since Voldemort had been killed.  
  
"Dad had made a deal with the ministry when he was arrested. He would tell them who had been involved and he would only have to do a year's worth of time there." The vampire said with an indistinct tone in his voice that Harry hadn't heard before.  
  
"Well, I'll definitely be here so you'll have company at least." Harry said, trying to offer a bit of comfort after a bit of awkward silence.  
  
"Yeah." Draco said, his mood brightening slightly.  
  
"Um, so are you all going to the dance?" Luna asked in an attempt to change the subject.  
  
"I'm going with Ron." Hermione informed her happily, Ron just beamed at Hermione's words.  
  
"I'm going with Neville." Ginny told Luna after hearing the last bit of their conversation.  
  
"That's great! I don't have anyone to go with though." Luna said trying to be happy for her friends.  
  
"I don't think I'll go." Harry announced.  
  
"Why not mate? It'll be fun." Ron asked.  
  
Draco became slightly possessive after hearing Ron call Harry 'mate' and shifted closer to Harry unnoticed to anyone.  
  
"I don't know. Our dress clothes probably burned anyways and it would be kind of weird to go." Harry said.  
  
"Oh no... that's right! Now I don't have dress robes! Mum wont be too happy." Ginny sighed while looking at Ron for him to agree.  
  
Ron put down his fork and looked slightly scared at Ginny's words.  
  
"I'm glad I didn't get mine yet." Hermione sighed in relief.  
  
"You do realize that we'll need new school supplies thought, right." Harry brought the bad news.  
  
At that Ron slammed his head on the table and Hermione sighed sadly.  
  
"Attention all students, please report to your dormitories immediately! Students in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff please report to you head boys and girls for where you will go. Please do this as quickly and orderly as possible!" Professor McGonagall's voice came loudly thought out the whole castle.  
  
"I wonder what's going on?" Ginny asked slightly frightened.  
  
"I don't know but we better get everyone from Gryffindor to come over here Harry." Hermione told the other Head of Gryffindor.  
  
"Will all Gryffindors come here for instructions!" Ron yelled loudly and Gryffindors started flocking over to them.  
  
"What ever has happened it can't be good." Hermione said as quietly as she could to Ron.  
  
"I bet it has something to do with the fire." Ron said as he went over to talk to some of the younger Gryffindors.  
  
"I told you things would start to be like second year." Harry voiced slightly moodily.

Author: Gah... sorry I couldn't write more... but I'm really busy... till next time... (hopefully soon) Byez... 


	7. Blood

Author: That's right everyone! Another little song-fic chapter. It's totally awesome though! Gah... I can't wait for the reviews. I'll tell u all about the song at the end of the chapter. For now, just enjoy the good ole blood and angst!

* * *

The hallways outside the great room were glowing faintly, a gold aura surrounding all of the students as they marched toward Professor MaGonagall's voice.

"What do you think is going on?" Harry asked the others.

"I don't know but..." Draco's words ended when he was knocked down by the rushing students.

"Draco? Draco are you okay?" The young vampire could hear Harry calling to him. The silver-haired boy's mind spun as he stared at the dirty bricks below. '_What the hell is going on?_' Draco thought to himself as he slowly lost control of his body.

"Half-breed." A voice whispered into the Slytherin's ear.

**I've got my head but my head is unraveling.Can't keep control, can't keep track of where it's traveling.**

Harry managed to make his way through the rushing crowd to the fallen wizard. Draco soon felt someone helping him up from the ground. "Half-breed." Draco whispered.

"Draco?" Harry looked at his best friend's blank eyes searchingly.

**I've got my heart but my heart's no good.**

'_No, don't say that... why did I say that? Something's wrong with me._' Draco cried in his mind but could not regain control.

**And you're the only one that's understood.**

Before the raven-haired hero could question the vampire's words, Hermione and Ron came from the back of the confused mob.

"Harry, we've got to go now... we've got to make sure that the others get there safely." Hermione tried to catch her breath. Without another word, Hermione and Ron dragged their friends up flights of stairs and down hallways.

'_Why don't they realize there is something wrong with me? Why is my body taking control? I have to stop this right now!_' The vampire's head rang with thoughts as he struggled to gain control.

**I come along but I don't know where you're taking me.I shouldn't go but you're wretching, dragging, shaking me.**

They finally got to the large chamber where all of the students assembled. Professor McGonagall was standing on a pedistol, looking angry as she stood in front of them all.

"Who is responsible... for that?" The stern professor's voice shook as she attempted to surpress her anger.

All eyes turned to where she pointed; right behind the mass of students. One word was glowing bright in an ominous, horrorible red pen. "Half-breed." The masses simulatiously murmured with soft and confused curiousity. Harry's eyes turned to Malfoy as recognition doned upon his face.

"Draco..." Harry paused as he stared silently at Draco.

'_No... Harry, it wasn't me. Damn it... he can't hear me. Say something you lifeless doll... I'm just standing there. Harry thinks I did it. Harry please! Please..._' Draco frantically raced across the frozen pathways of his mind. A pain began to envelop him, from his head and slowly down.

Draco watched as his secret love's eyes began to widen in horror. _'What is going on?' _Draco cried as something dug deep into his arm.

A few screams and gasps filled the room, but it was not for Harry's reasons. Harry watched as blood trickled down the silver-haired Slytherin's arm and to the floor. The Gryffindor boy shook Draco, trying to get a responce from him. The tide of students had slowly receeded away from the wall. Harry and Draco were left standing alone towards the 'mudblood' message. The green-eyed teen looked up at the wall and saw a bloody image slowly being inscribed on the wall below the message. _'That looks like...' _Harry quickly turned his attention back to the handsome vampire when he felt Draco fall to the floor on his back.

'_Everything is so... bright. Take it away... I only want one thing... one..._' Draco no longer understood anything as he lied there on the cold floor.

**Turn off the sun pull the stars from the sky.**

The masses stood back, watching with a mixture of negative emotions. Harry went to his knees, staring at Draco's vacant expression. A pool of blood was growing larger every moment. Without hesitation, the vampire's shirt was quickly torn by his future mate. There, written in flesh, was slowly being carved an exact replica of the image currently appearing on the wall. Harry panicked as he tried to stop the bleeding but more of the pale Slytherin's skin was being torn with every moment that passed. Some of the others had made there way to the pair on the floor and Harry made sure to cover the picture being formed on Draco's arm.

"Someone help, please!" Harry called for anyone, or at least someone to do something to save him.

"What's going on?" Someone whispered from around them.

"He's dying." Another answered in a low voice.

The vampire's head fell heavilly to the side, watching Harry with deep eyes.

'_Oh god Draco... what is it? What is happening? What is wrong?' _The raven-haired boy did everything he could to not cry. _'Crying would only make things worse... I need to think. I need to save him.'_

Meanwhile the near unconcious boy looked on at his whole world slipped away. His thoughts were slower now.

**The more I give to you the more I die.**

'Harry. I need you.' Draco's consciousness floated along as thing faded.

All that remained... was everything.

"Everyone move... move right now!" McGonagall's voice echoed though the high ceilings as she shoved her way to them. The students just stood there like statues, not wanting to miss whatever would happen next.

With one flick of a wand, Draco was levatated in front of Harry. The green-eyed Gryffindor held onto the floating boy as he covered the wound with the robe sleve that he had torn off.

**_"and i want you._**" The bleeding vampire breathed lightly to his one and only.

"Draco?" Harry asked the motionless boy in front of him.

"What did he say?" Some of the others whispered in the crowd to one another.

**and i want you...**

**and i want you...**

**and i want you...**

A pair of strong hands grabbed Harry's shoulder's from behind, the carved masterpiece soon pulled from his grasp. Draco saw the blurry images pass by him as he drifted along. The sea of faces quickly parted, soft words passed though the dazed teen's mind. "What's wrong with him?" One asked. "I don't know, he kind of looks like he's on drugs or something..." Another replied. "Drugs? What is a drug?" The first asked. "It's a muggle thing..." The second replied. "What are they for?" The other questioned again. "They make you better and take away pain." Was the answer that was given.

'_Drug... takes away the pain. **You are the perfect drug...**'_ Draco thought lazilly as he bordered on the line, where after, dreams can be found.

Harry watched as Draco was taken away... as /_his_/ Draco was taken. Numbness was the feeling that consumed him until the reality of separation took it's hold.

**You make me hard when i'm all soft inside.**

He stuggled against his captor, the arms that hold him there. _'I need him... I need him!' _Harry's mind crucified him for his weakness.

**I see the truth when i'm all stupid eyed.**

_'I... I /love/ him... I...'_ Harry's eyes stung with tears.

**The arrow goes straight through my heart.**

**Without you everything just falls apart.**

'_Have I... have I always_?' The pain and revatations burned deeply on the gryffindor's face.

The hallways were still glowing with the light from earlier. Draco didn't notice that however. There was no room for anything more.

_'It can't end. This way. Not without tasting love. I don't know it yet. I need it first.' _Malfoy thought.

**My blood wants to say hello to you.**

**My fears want to get inside of you.**

**My soul is so afraid to realize.**

**How very little there is left of me.**

**And I want you,**

**you are the perfect drug.**

Reality left thereafter. All that remained was the sleeping soul inside. Even as they ascended the stairs to the hospital wing, the vampire slept more soundly that the living would.

Harry half-heartedly stuggled as he was pulled away from everyone. His mind could only partly function.

"Draco... **take me with you**." The vampire's mate whispered softly.

**Without you,without you everything falls apart...**

**Without you,it's not as much fun to pick up the pieces.**

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Author: Okay, that's all for now. I hoped you liked it. It's about time that I got to update the fic. I wanted to so badly... believe me. Evil work I must do! This is way more fun. The song is by Nine Inch Nails. It's called The Perfect Drug. Love it! Please review. Thankyou for you patience!


	8. Games

**Author:** Hi you all! Thank you so much for the reviews. I'll take a little time here in my author's space to summarize what happened in the last chapter for those readers who didn't fully understand. (Don't make fun, it happens even to the best of us!) Basically all of the students are heading to where McGonagall's voice is coming from. The hallways are glowing faintly of gold-ish light. The prefects and heads of houses are guiding the students, making sure everyone stays together. Draco is knocked down by the rushing students as he helps Harry control the crowd. Someone whispers "Half-breed" into the vampire's ear. Draco has lost control of himself when Harry gets to him. He does say "half-blood" out loud. The words in bold are the song lyrics. Some of them are spoken. It depends if they are in quotations or not. If they aren't, it's just part of the nararation of the fic. The people are just standing around in the beginning because they were afraid of the writing on the wall. As the symbol was being carved in Draco's skin, it was being drawn on the wall in blood. They didn't even notice Draco and Harry until the blonde-haired one fell. Also, you have to keep in mind that things were happening really quickly and people were a bit in shock. McGonagall couldn't get to them though the mass of students when she did see them. Oh, and why Gryffindor and Hufflepuff? Well... that will be revealed later in the story. Just got to be patient and then all will slowly be clear. Love you all... Enjoy:)

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**-Harry's POV-**

He is… gone. He should be here with me… where am I going? The arms that guide me… were do I go? The hallways move so quickly. My eyes closed tightly on the world I dare not believe in. What's wrong with me? I feel like a cloak being torn through the air, covering cold shoulders. Cold. He is cold and my existence follows him.

"Stop." I heard words burn from my mouth.

"Stop what?" A familiar voice answered.

"I need to see Draco." I replied.

"You'll see him soon enough, now follow me." The male voice gruffly spoke.

I know that voice from somewhere… I just can't… I opened my eyes just slightly, spotting the frayed edges of a worn cloak.

"Professor Lupin?" I guessed, not able to look up.

"A werewolf? Hardly." The man replied darkly with an air of indignation.

Knots started forming in my stomach as I processed that answer in my mind.

"What did you do to Draco?" I asked without breathing.

"You are the rebel aren't you…" He murmured, disregarding my question.

I stared at his scuffed black shoes as I waited for more.

"Just as we think you couldn't shame us anymore with your existence, you do something else to fuck things up. If it weren't for the half-blood, you would have died with the rest of your sickening kind. You are an inferior imitation." Hatred breathed fire from his words.

"You've lost. Now you have no power." I mumbled as my mouth numbed.

I could hear sounds coming from far behind us in the passageway.

"They're coming for you so that you can join the disgrace…" He said before he threw me into a deserted classroom.

I breathed in dust as I tried to move in vain. I could see his form coming towards me, his footsteps making marks in my bruised mind.

"Now for what I came for…" He walked slowly towards me, almost seeming to pause to see my fear.

I managed to move a bit as I struggled for control. Is this what happened to you Draco? The man laughed menacingly as he leaned close to me on the floor where he knelt.

"Relax Potter, killing you is the one pleasure I am not allowed." He must have smirked as he pulled out a tuft of my hair from my head.

I winced as my eyes watered, my head swimming in the pain. I could feel his wickedly hot breath on my ear as he whispered evils for my mind to bleed for.

"You're just his play thing. Vampires _don't_ love. I know that but you… looks like you'll find that out the hard way. Then I'll be back with the one who _truly_ owns you.A little gift for you before I go..." He whispered before getting up to leave.

Crimson light shown before me at the monster's command. It is something so warm… I want it but what is it? Can I really take it? I looked around, my body under my command now that the man who left this was gone. I reached out and pulled it closer to my body. Draco? My mind is clouding with the brilliant light. I need it… I need to feel it inside me. I grabbed it as tightly as I could, my hands singeing with its burning heat as it came closer. Against my skin... I can feel it against my bare chest. It has to go back where it belongs. I wrapped my arms around myself, embracing the warmth. Shadows vaguely appeared a bit before me but my eyes were dilated by the feeling's depth. So warm… so… so… I breathed as it tried to sink into me further. Too close… I panted heavily as the feeling carved it's self on me. My whole body twisted and turned as it felt like a cookie cutter was being pressed on my skin. Oh god, please make it go away! I vaguely remember screaming in pain as the shadows crouched down beside me, looking me over with cat-like stares. I curled up and covered my chest more with my knees.

"Come on Harry, time to go now." Someone pulled me up by my arm as all of us left that dusty hellish hole.

All I could feel was warmth slowly cascading over my arms, painting me with false color. All of that was a contrast to my pale skin. Up and up flights of stairs was I led this time, thankfully seeing no one else. Am I going to go see him? Yes… something told me in the back of my mind. The pain began to numb as my thoughts wandered elsewhere from reality I was imprisoned in. Will he want me? I am… I am half-blood. I stumbled slightly on the stairs up to what, I guessed, was the hospital wing. The door flew open in front of us before we entered the room full of light. Draco… I searched the room for his godly form… Draco. I was led to a hospital bed and forced to lay down, my arms were folded tightly across my moist chest. I heard Madam Pomfrey's voice ring past my thoughts… I did not bother to catch what she was saying. None of it matters. Draco… what that monster said… what that man said about you… it can't be true. Half-blood… half-blood maybe but you can have all of it… all of it I'll give to you. I passed out into a dreamless state, not to remember the hours ahead.

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**Author:** Oh I am an evil little thing aren't I? Muhahaha… Hey, I'm kidding. I will update as soon as I can… I am so excited about the new book coming out! almost faints I hate work… it is everyday. sigh And the worst part is that I have to work… it takes me away from this though… whimpers But I'll update as soon as I can… oh and am I excited to write more. Oh, anyone want to guess who the man that dragged Harry away was… I'm curious to see if anyone guessed it. I won't tell the answer yet though… it would ruin the surprise. Muhahaha. Much love to ya all... 


	9. Bandages

**Author:** Yay... I think I have managed to officially confuse EVERYONE! Yeah, but it does make sence. Okay, I guess a re-cap is in order... so here is what happened LAST chapter.

That chapter was in Harry's point of view. So all of the "I"s were Harry. Well, Harry is being pulled away from the ugly sceen from chapter 7... you all remember chapter seven right. Well, Harry is not able to see who is taking him away from the crowd. Harry is obviously in shock too from the events. Harry thinks that the man that is taking him away might be Lupin, but from the man's statement, he probably isn't. The man shoves Harry into an empty room and rips some of Harry's hair from his head. I wonder that that is for... hn... The man taunts Harry and somehow seems to know about the vampire relationship that is simmering beneathe the surface of Draco and our dear raven-haired wizard. The man then leaves Harry after casting a spell on him, thus the crimson light. Some people then show up after the evil guy's departure and take the stunned green-eyed boy away to the hospital wing.

Is everything a little clearer now? Well, here is chapter 9 in narrative form... aka: I'm telling the story and it isn't in anyone's point of view.

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The rays of sunlight unlocked the sleeping vampire's eyes from their vault of darkness. Draco sat up quickly and searched the room for any clue to what had happened.

_'Where the fuck am I?'_ The wizard thought anxiously as he scanned the room.

The now familiar sight of the Hospital Wing is what he saw, a few occupants in a healing slumber. Draco's hand found the rough texture of bandages that were wrapped tightly around his arm, the memories now comming back to him. Madam Pomfrey entered with her usual manner of frustration.

"Ah... Mr. Malfoy!" The aged witch crossed over to the revived boy.

"What happened?" Draco managed to spit out before she could go on.

"You had a nasty bit of potion in you." She bit her lip, deciding not to willingly say more.

"And Harry? Has he and everyone else come by?" The calming Slytherin asked her.

"Harry's here in the hospital wing too." Madam Pomfrey said, not looking at the young man.

"Why?" The vampire's heart fluttered with concern.

"Someone in the castle put a bad curse on him too. It is one of the harder ones to remove... like yours in that regard." The old witch messed with some bottles of potions on a tray nearby.

_'Like mine?'_ Draco thought as he unrapped the bandage on his arm.

"The... the dark mark?" The vampire murmured, breath leaving his lungs.

"I would keep that covered up if I were you." She said, shooting him an icy look.

"But... but it isn't like I wanted it to... how?" He replied defensively.

"You must have drank some of the potion for it." Madam Pomfrey spoke as she carried a tray over to an ajacent bed.

"I didn't... I don't know how it could have..." The vampire tried.

"Well then how should I..." She obviously didn't believe him.

"I want to see Harry." Draco demanded.

"He isn't awake yet." Pomfrey told him, a coldness remaining in her voice.

"I don't care." The Slytherin said firmly, leaving his clean white bed behind.

_'I can feel him nearby...'_ The Slytherin Head-boy thought.

Crossing over to a bed covered in a curtain, the white hand of the vampiric young man pulled away the barrier between him and his mate.

"Harry..." Draco studied the bandages wrapped across his crush's chest.

Slowly green eyes peered at the standing Slytherin, the same eyes that the Malfoy boy wanted to get lost in forever.

"Draco." Harry whispered from his resting position.

"Harry... what happened to you." The vampire asked even though he already knew.

The Gryffindor boy didn't reply, instead examining his own state.

_'Bandages...'_ Harry thought, his breathing becoming slightly uneven as he strained to look.

"Need help?" Draco asked, seeing his best friend's strugle to get to the bandages on his chest.

"No!" Harry knocked the vampire's hand away as he tried to help.

The blonde-haired wizard stepped backward, a stunned and questioning look on his face.

"I... I'm sorry. Maybe... you should go without me." The green-eyed boy looked away from the inquiring gaze.

"Oh... okay then. I'll just leave you to... rest." Draco said after a big pause.

Harry's eyes bore into his bed sheets so that he wouldn't see the vampire leave.

_'What the hell am I doing? That man... he can't be right. He just can't...'_ Harry thought to himself, slowly unraveling the bandage after curiousity won of his fear.

The faint outline of a word was marked on his skin like a faded series of scars. One word was written on the wide-eyed boy's chest. Without hesitation Harry grabed the shiny metal tray on his bedside and held it infront of him. Thanks to the shiny metal surface of the tray, the shocked Gryffindor saw the clear, backwards reflection of the word "plaything" on his chest. With a metalic crash, the tray fell to the floor. Harry wrapped his arms around the scarred inscription.

"Plaything?" The dark-haired boy whipered in terror, thinking of what the monstorous man had said.

_'You're just his play thing. Vampires don't love.'_ Harry remembered the words that were cruely spoken to him.

Cold sweat graced his pale body, tears threatening to consume him.

_'Am I really just his... his plaything? Does he even love me? Does he even fucking love me? Why... why the hell am I worrying about this... no one even said that. No one said that we were..._' Harry grabbed his head in heart-ache and confusion.

"Who was that... who was it that night. He is responsible for this whole mess! It isn't Draco's fault, I shouldn't have snapped at him. He never said that he loves me... I just assumed. I assumed." The raven-haired boy whispered painfully to himself.

Harry's head spun slightly as he tried to get up. One step after another he made his way over to a sink where he washed cold water over his face.

_'When I said things were turning out like second year... I was being way to optomistic.'_ Harry thought darkly to himself.

"Mr. Potter, back in bed! You should not be up at all... you need to rest!" Madam Pomfrey huffed as she escorted the sad Gryffindor back to bed.

"Just what I need..." Harry mumbled sarcastically as he conformed to the persistent witch's wishes.

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**Author:** Well, how'd ya like them apples... just kidding. I hope things made better sence this time. Don't worry and be assured that this IS a Harry/Draco fic. Also be reminded that this is Angst/Romance as well... Angst being first. It makes the Romance that much... sweeter. mischeivious grins Thankyou for your reviews. Love ya! 


	10. Cry

Author: I know I'm so mean and terrible to you all for not updating in a while. If this was the only thing that I had to do... believe me I'd be like on chapter 20 or something by now. But alas... life has been cruel and yesterday I just heard that one of my former classmates died in a car accident so that shook me a bit and a lot of my energy has been directed towards hoping for closure for her mom (as her dad died in a car accident too years ago). So yeah, here is an update for you and the next exciting chapter. I hope the wait has paid off. :) Oh and a quick p.s.- I'm NOT recognizing the sixth book that came out. I think that it'd totally mess everything up so just think back to the good old days of when the fifth book was the most recent. Thank you all.

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The gentle tapping of footsteps echoed the stairway with the languid quietness of a heartsick vampire's walk.

'Mate… What does that word _really_ mean?' Draco thought to himself quietly as he descended the steps into a darkened corridor.

'Is he just someone to… to satisfy this _need_ inside of me? Would I still feel this way if this vampire's heart of mine pumped live blood in me instead of dead? I wish that I was alive or dead and not in between. He doesn't have to do anything for me. I shouldn't make him… even if he is my mate… mother didn't get to choose. I can't make Harry trapped just like her.' Draco's mind swam into the dark depths of his thoughts ashe stopped to look out the window.

The trees swayed in the late November breeze and flurries of snow slowly graced the forsaken ground. The lake had begun to freeze over, sealing the creatures that lived there beneathe. The leaves had fallen off of most of the trees, two small foxes were making tracks around them in the snow. A winter world had come to put everything to rest as Christmas approached slowly upon the castle walls.

'Would I really have asked him to go… what did I expect? A happy ending for us both… how _naïve_ have I become?' Draco breathed on the cold glass window and drew with his finger on the foggy surface.

The young vampire stood there working on his masterpiece. One person… then two people standing close together. Both were only stick figure drawings but the blonde Slytherin's mind filled in the rest. Closing his eyes tightly, he bit his lip as his imagination ran away with him. The drawn figures began to move, enacting the vampire's desires and daydreams but Draco already saw them more vividly in his mind. Getting closer and closeruntil the vampiric wizard could almost sense Harry's breath against his skin;brushing lightly overhis lips withhis... so soft andwarm.

"Interesting stick figures… I wonder who they are." A voice breathed from behind him and grabbed his shoulder tightly.

Draco's eyes snapped open and saw the dark mark glowing brightly where his drawing had been on the window. A cold ripple of icy terror ran though the young Slytherin as he was glued to the spot. All that he could see was the hand that grasped his shoulder disappear just beforehis captor's forearm. It was that _feeling_ again, the one that made him helpless that other night with the writing on the wall.

"I'm watching you… half-breed. As always…" The voice laughed coldly as he let go and left the blond vampire to stand still like a statue; immobile.

The glowing green markremained still, even after Draco could move.

'Who… and _how_ did they get to me? I didn't even hear them… I didn't sense their movements and I couldn't see their face. Harry… the mark… what the hell do I... do?' The shaken vampire almost glided to the ground, his eyes vacant as they searched his mind for answers.

"What do I do!" Draco screamed and punched the stone wall, leaving a hole in it.

Blood slowly dripped from his knuckles as he looked at the badly damaged wall. The pain throbbed lightly until it slowly stopped as the blond vampire watched his hand heal. It was like a blank canvas again and the wall healed itself as well.

"Enchanted… that's what I am too. So _blessed_." He whispered disgustedly.

'I was normal… just a wizard until the beginning of first year. Then it started to happen, all because of Harry. Just like any other wizard until he set this free…' Tears threatened to carve the hardened façade of the bitter vampire as he slid down against a wall and leaned against a statue.

"Harry… it's your fault. It's all your fault." The hurt vampire said numbly, not being able to decide whether to smile at that fact or to break something.

Harry's left shoulder was brushing the cold stone wall against the adjacent passage way as he listened to Draco's muffled whispers to himself.

'Just three steps and I'd see him there…' Harry thought with a frown dashed across his face, pain etched in his emerald eyes.

'Vampires don't… vampires don't…' Draco's thoughts were cut off at the watery sight that had haunted his mind and heart for seven years.

Soft tapping filled the confused, blond teenager's ears as his face was smothered in his cloak. The taste of fabric filled his mouth as he bit down softly on it. The sound didn't stop and was coming towards him slowly. The young vampire looked up at the source, his deep eyes blurred by repressed tears.

"Draco." Harry said calmly to the withdrawn wizard that sat at the bottom of a statue.

'Cry.' The vampire's mind let go as his heart went spinning away from him, sinking to an unknown depth.

A silence echoed painfully throughout the hallway as the divided hearts beat quickly within their chests.

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Author: Okay… see, I updated! Yeah… I want to do that again soon because I'm so full of ideas for this story. I love it! squeezes it I think I get way too enthusiastic about my own writing. Alas, if Amanda would only update… Well, thank you for reading and please review with your comments and questions. I will answer them if I can. Until later then… 


	11. Forgive

Author: Yeah! I'm finally updating. I haven't been able to in the past two weeks because of hurricane Wilma. How insane that was! Anyways, I have been told that the whole stick figure thing was very weird. This was by my friend Panda who I've been trying to get to read my fan-fiction. Alas, I have my other admirers for this story. Oh right… I have another HP fic out. Only one chapter out but I'm going all out on that because it's the biggest challenge for me yet. Anyways, I will no longer delay you from reading the latest installment of the Behind the Curtain story. Enjoy!

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"It all began with you. Everything." Draco whispered, as he couldn't bear to look at Harry. 

The green-eyed seventeen-year-old stood six feet from the object of his guilt, silent without a word to offer a vampire in pain. Instead the Gryffindor struggled with his own resentful thoughts, waiting for Draco to continue on.

"I wasn't always a vampire. I'm still not really a _true_ vampire." The blonde-haired wizard continued on. "That's the only thing that keeps me here. If my dad was a vampire I would never have been able to come here. I would never have met you."

Harry's hurt and angry feelings were calming as the Slytherin boy spoke softly in the ancient hallway. The raven-haired young man relaxed with every moment he looked at Draco; his breath that rippled the air quietly, his weakened tear-stained eyes, and the cloak on his shoulders that concealed his form. He was the sedative and the dark seduction that captured all of Harry's insides.

'This is real. He really does care about me.' The Gryffindor's eyes widened with remorse, his breathing becoming shallow.

"You made me what I am and now ifit isn't finished, I will never be a real vampire. I can't go back to where I was. You turned me." Draco spoke, trying to conceal any anger towards his potential mate.

"I… turned you?" Harry finally spoke.

The vampire's eyes slowly raised and fixed themselves on Harry's emerald eyes.

"Yes. First year. It happened when we were in the dark forest together for detention. When that cloaked figure appeared with the dead unicorn and I ran, something happened to my insides. I was on the ground screaming as I felt my heart being crushed inside my chest. My lungs were burning inside of me as the blood inside of them turned cold." Draco said before averting his eyes to the cold stone beneath himself. "Then I felt you inside of my head and I hated myself more than I'd even hated anyone. I'd just left you there in danger. I felt your fear and the burning of your scar. All of it was magnified as I lied there with my eyes open wide, staring at the blue mist in the forest. I knew somehow that I had become just like all of the other beasts and monsters in that cursed place. From then on I was different and my father tried to hide the fact that his son was no longer the perfect heir to the Malfoy family. He did everything he could to stop it. The summers were always filled with a dozen new treatments for the '_disease_' his son suffered from."

The world had come down around, forgetting the concerns of everyone else. They were alone. The young wizard had walked step by step closer as Draco had spoken and he now fell to his knees beside the vampire, staring right past him. The Slytherin had just notice their proximity and he turned his widened eyes to his left to see the saddened profile of the boy he could never cease to love.

"I'm sorry." Harry's voice shook as he whispered painfully. "I'm so sorry."

The young wizard with the Gryffindor crest wrapped his arms quickly around Draco, shaking with guilt and sorrow. The silver-haired boy's eyes lit up bright as he slowly put his arms around the boy, lightly crying on his shoulder.

"It's okay." The vampiric wizard consoled as he glimpsed the snow falling gently outside the window.

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Author: And I'm spent! Wow, that was harder to write than it looks. It was really sweet though. For once one of my chapters doesn't end in some sort of pure angst or horrible suspense. I'd enjoy that security while it lasts… muhahaha. I just though that I should leave you off with the horrible-ness that shall be in next chapter. Oh I am so cruel sometimes. Well anyways, please read and review. I put more background info in. For all of the confused, you can as in the reviews too. Later. 


	12. Shame

**Author**: It made me **sad**. No reviews for the past two chapters. It's Funny though; more people added themselves to the author alert part on my stats page. So I'm thinking that people like it but hate reviewing. No pressure to of course, it would just give me some sense of accomplishment that's all. Sigh. Never mind. Do what you all will. I'll just be chained to my computer in the corner obsessing over lovely Draco x Harry content. This just inspires me to add more angst. Enjoy.

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The hallway had been quiet for so long it seemed. Draco savored this moment… the enticing scent of his mate… his skin tingled all over from where the Gryffindor's body brushed against his. This is what Draco lived for… this is what made it worth all of the pain. 

"Immobilus!" A loud cry echoed through the hall hitting the pair.

Draco sat frozen as he heard footsteps coming closer to them. A tall, dark-haired girl stepped into view wearing a scowl. Her eyes were piercing as they bore into the young vampire.

"Such a pity. I had hoped to catch you both in a more interesting pose. My misfortune I suppose." She spoke superiorly, kneeling down to look him directly in the face.

The dark-haired girl ran her hand down the side of Draco's face.

"Half-ling boy… Yes Draco, I know you and what you are. Such a disappointment you were to our master, saving that." She gestured sharply to the raven-haired boy that rested on the vampire's shoulder.

Hatred emanated from the blonde's eyes. He wanted nothing more than to rip her throat out.

'Bloody Fucking Bitch! Who is she?' Draco thought angrily as he wanted desperately to break free from the spell.

The girl searched the vampire's face for any sign of emotion.

"I bet you're wondering who I am. You should know. It was me… I was the one who had Harry at my mercy at the beginning of the year until you and that blood traitor Snape came to the rescue. It isn't over yet. It's really just begun." She smirked as her eyes flashed a blood red for an instant before getting up. "I really am just like you Draco… only much better. Dinner should be soon… and it looks like everyone will be coming this way. We've made sure of that. What a treat they will find."

The wretched girl laughed as she walked away from the horrified pair.

'No… they can't see us like this.' Harry thought frantically as he tried to figure out a way to break the spell.

Any minute the bell would ring, signaling everyone to come down to dinner from their dormitories. Draco could feel Harry's desperation growing right there inside of him.

'This can't happen… Harry will never be okay with us if others see us now. They'll ruin everything!' The blonde's heart was racing in his chest with panic.

Then they heard it. A loud bell shattered everything around them. Soon they would all be there staring at the scene that had been set up so well.

Steps.

'There here.' Harry thought dreadfully.

A wave of profane and violent things he would say and do to the girl washed over Draco's mind. She would pay.

"Oh my gosh." A young girl squealed as a large group started forming in the hallway.

There were giggling girls and catcalls echoing loudly throughout the hall.

"Blimey!" One guy said as he stood in disbelief.

"Oh shit." Another laughed lightly.

The whole hall soon became so loud it was hard to hear the voice of Professor McGonagall making her way though crowd.

"What is going on here?" The Professor said before seeing the pair of boys at the base of the statue.

Her eyes widened in surprise before she turned around to address the crowd.

"There's nothing to see here. Now go back around the other way to the Great Hall." She commanded them all.

"But Professor, the other way has been blocked by a pool someone conjured." One of the older male students smirked.

"Well then, I guess you'll just have to swim." She snapped as she sent them all on their way.

The hallway was soon cleared of everyone but the two highly embarrassed teenagers and the Transfiguration Professor.

"Mr. Potter… Mr. Malfoy. I must tell you that Hogwarts does not condone this sort of interaction amongst its students. Therefore, I must regretfully give you both detention." She eyed the pair. "Separately."

'Oh just perfect! As if the humiliation wasn't enough!' Harry seethed as he remained with his back towards her.

Professor McGonagall took out her wand and performed the counter spell. Both of the boys broke away from one another's grasp. Both sat almost stunned as they remembered the entirety of what had happened to them in the past hour.

"We will work out the details of your detentions tomorrow. For now I think the two of you need to talk." The Professor said as she looked both of them over and left in a hurry.

'Talk… that's all everyone's been doing… talking!' The vampire got up angrily as everything ran through his head.

The young Gryffindor remained on the floor, staring at the details of the statue that he and the Slytherin had just sat against. His eyes were blank as Draco tried to read his expression. The vampire searched for anything he could say to make the situation better but nothing came.

"Please don't follow me. I want to be alone." Harry said after he got up and started to walk away.

"Harry… I don't know what I can say. I…" Draco tried helplessly as he felt the coldness inside of Harry towards him.

"Then don't say anything… just don't say anything please… I just want to be alone." Harry's unruly hair hid his eyes as he stared down at the near frozen ground.

After a slight, uncomfortable moment of silence Harry walked away down the hall in the opposite direction of the Great Hall.

'Fuck!' Draco bit his lip as he leaned against the wall.

"What the hell do I do now?" The vampire said to himself as blood from his bit lip trickled down is a very small river.

-----------------------------

The door of the portrait hole creaked noisily open as Harry practically ran through it towards the dormitories. Up the stairs he went until he got to the empty seventh-year boy's room. There was his bed that had given his so many dreams good and bad. He jumped into it, wanting only to bash his head against the headboard and knock himself unconscious so he would not have to think about the mess he always managed to find himself in.

'In a half and hour they'll be up here… laughing at me.' Harry groaned. 'They would have heard by then and what would they think? The hero of the wizarding world practically on top of Draco Malfoy in the middle of the hall.'

He screamed into the pillow his face was buried in. Harry turned around on his back and closed his eyes, only wanting to disappear.

Then there it was… the sound that he least wanted to hear in the entire world.

Pop.

There was Dolby in his sloppy, mismatched attire with a tray of food standing at the food of his bed.

"Harry Potter." His voice said in a cautious cheerfulness.

"What is it Dolby?" Harry asked exasperatedly.

"Dolby heard about Harry and old master Malfoy. Dolby thought that you would like some food." Dolby said as he put the tray down on the bed stand next to Harry's bed, knocking over a few objects as he did.

'What I wouldn't give for a whole case of Fire Whiskey.' Harry thought hopelessly as he took the tray to be polite and pretended to eat.

"So… it what they say about Harry Potter true?" The house elf asked tentatively after a bit of silence.

Harry's stomach dropped at the question.

"Why, what are they saying about me Dolby?"

He paused before answering the raven-haired boy.

"They say that… that Harry Potter doesn't like girls." Dolby said weakly.

Harry's stomach wretched as he ran to the nearest bathroom down the hall. He felt the muscles tightening mercilessly inside of his torso. There he dropped to his knees in the closest stall and threw up all of his insides it seemed.

Leaning back against the divider of the stall, Harry sat there sweating as the fear overcame him. What would happen to them… could the others ever forget about all it? Somehow he knew that it would be a long time before he would be able to put that moment to rest.

'Draco… what are you _doing_ to me?' Harry thought minutes after he left the bathroom.

The shadows had now just begun to fall in the dormitory. It would be any second before the harassment would begin. Just thinking about what Ron would say made him nauseous again. With a saving though, the tired wizard remembered the invisibility cloak that he got out quickly. Getting into bed he drew the curtains and put the invisibility cloak over himself.

'At least this way they can't torture me until tomorrow.' Harry thought as he drifted off to a troubled sleep.

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**Author**: Wow, I'm tired myself. I worked on that for over two hours straight. Aren't you all so proud? Anyways, I made this chapter ultra long for everyone because I looked at my stats and saw that last chapter was the shortest one in the entire fic. Well, I felt bad and made this gigantic one that I hope you all enjoyed. Had some romance in the last one… lots of angst in this one. Just remember, it makes everything even more worthwhile. R&R. Later then. 


	13. Erus

**Author:** I am SO sorry for not consistently updating. I'm such a horrible person. Justiemarie is right. –cries- Oh and I did mistake Dobby's name. I'm very sorry about that. My mind plays tricks on me sometimes and I am beta-less so I have some spelling errors now and then too. Eh. Thank you, Dairygirl for correcting my mistake. Well, I feel really bad for it so therefore I'm going to try to make this the longest chapter of the entire fic so far! Enjoy…

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A blonde boy sat with his head on his desk in the Slytherin dormitories, sleeping restlessly on top of a pile of papers and an open book. It was only a few hours before sunrise and the weary vampire had finally fallen asleep to find the dark dream world that often entangled him. Only tainted and sick images visited him there inside of his mind. Reliving his life was never a happy occurrence and this time was no exception.

"You're sick darling… Mr. Stercom will make you better." A blonde-haired woman knelt in front of her only son.

A tight-mouthed grimace accentuated the anger in the small boy's eyes as he glared at his mother with icy eyes.

"You're going Draco. Believe it or not but your father and I have always had the best intentions for you. One day you will appreciate them." She spoke coldly at the little boy as he looked away.

"Don't call me Draco." The blonde six-year-old spoke.

"Well aren't we an old soul then. Your arrogance will be the death of you." The boy's mother grabbed his chin and turned his head to look at her.

The woman only stood up when she heard a chime announcing the arrival of a guest at their house. Any moment, that visitor would join them. The six-year-old scowled as he traced the edges of the expensive stones that comprised the floor. A loud chuckle was heard as two men entered the room. One was none other than the boy's 'well-meaning' father and the little blonde boy in the room assumed that the other must be Mr. Stercom of whom his mother had spoken so highly about to him.

"Ah Lucius, this must be your son." Mr. Stercom's face was worn from decades of life, but his attire was almost that of a king.

Even royalty would not wear such a thing; the small vampire thought to himself as he glimpsed the man that was to take care of him after this day was over and even before.

"Hello there… Draco isn't it. Such a dignified name." The man greeted the seething blonde with a wide smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Don't call me Draco." He simply retorted and continued to retrace the lines on the ground with his eyes.

Mr. Stercom's smile faltered for a moment before he regained his tight-lipped smile.

"That's okay Draco, I know it will take some time before we can be friends. I know that you're afraid but I promise to take good care of you." The man said, seeming to gain more confidence as he spoke.

"Your name is Mr. Stercom right?" The little blonde asked as he took his eyes away from their ritual to stare at the man.

"Yes my name is Mr. Stercom." The dark-haired man said with a sense of pride and of accomplishment in that the boy had started to warm up to him.

"Does that by chance come from the Latin word stercum meaning…" The vampire began his malicious statement before being grabbed by the collar and lifted up by his father.

"What does that word mean Draco…"

Mr. Malfoy shook his son slightly as the boy squirmed.

"Nothing… it means nothing." The blonde struggled in the air to get away.

"That's what I thought." The longhaired man said as he dropped his son to the ground, turning apologetically to his guest.

"I apologize for my son. His insolence comes from the wretched vampire blood within him. Now you see why we need you to help us with this most unfortunate problem." The father hissed through a faltering fake smile.

The beautiful woman helped her son up, glaring at her husband's back for his words.

"Draco, you have to learn to cooperate." She whispered to her beloved son as she stared at him softer for a moment and then turned to join the two men in conversation over the arrangements that were made.

"He is already packed and ready to go. I've had one of the house-elves fetch it. It will be outside waiting with the luggage." Lucius Malfoy spoke to the man.

In the mean time, the child traced his finger across the pane of a windowsill. Outside was the rain soaked the cursed green landscape around the mansion. From there, Draco could have seen the carriage waiting to take him away if he had wanted to, but the outside world had meant nothing to the young Malfoy… even then.

"Come Draco." Narcissa Malfoy pulled her son away from his thoughts and was now taking him to the large doors of their manor.

The aged oak doors have concealed many things throughout the centuries, but now it turned out its biggest failure to the world. Mr. Malfoy scowled as he ushered his son along.

'Maybe they will fix me.' The young Malfoy thought to himself as he walked through the doorway and into the rain that seemed to suffocate their departure.

Bags stored and both of the travelers inside, the carriage pulled away at mid-pace. Draco remembered watching the dwindling image of his home through the washed windows before turning to the man that his father entrusted his only son to in order for him to be 'cured'.

-------

The rays of sunlight had not awakened the sleeping Gryffindor hero. Harry awoke with a start as he realized that everyone had already left long ago for breakfast. He had spent the entire night under his invisibility cloak, avoiding being disturbed by anyone. The green-eyed boy now regretted it as he rushed to get himself dressed. It was the first day of December and the first day of their mid-term examinations.

"Shit!" Harry cursed as he grabbed his books and rushed out of the makeshift dormitory in the Slytherin's dungeons and to the Great Hall.

Everyone was staring and whispering to one another as he ran past and the Gryffindor felt a sickness sweep through his stomach as he took a vacant seat at the breakfast table. He couldn't help but feel the eyes of everyone upon him as they judged him, talking no doubt about the incident of yesterday.

"I heard that he wasn't in his bed last night…" A girl from another house whispered to her friend at the adjacent table.

"Maybe the two of the were… you know." The other one giggled as they whispered excitedly to one another.

Harry's blood was to a boil now as he whipped around to face them.

"I can hear you… you know!" He did everything he could not to make a scene.

The two girls looked awestruck as Harry turned back around to stab his breakfast. Throwing up last night had made him hungry, but he didn't feel at all like eating.

"Harry." A familiar female voice came from the other side of the table.

Harry looked up to see Hermione sitting down, placing her books to the side. Lost for words to say to her, the emerald-eyed boy simply stabbed a piece of omelet and shoved it into his mouth.

"Um… Harry. Is there anything you want to talk about?" She tried sweetly as she stared at him.

"No… what ever gave you the foggiest?" Trying hard to contain himself, Harry retorted in a sarcastic way.

"I'm sorry Harry, I just didn't know how to… well, is it true?" The bushy-haired girl gave into the direct approach.

"Hermione!" Harry seethed at her.

He did not want to have this conversation with her. Not now! The Gryffindor boy got up quickly, taking his book bag to storm off.

"We wouldn't treat you any different. We're your friends; you know we would accept you no matter what. Please just let us be there for you." Hermione had mistaken Harry's anger with her for embarrassment.

Worse for Harry, she was making things out to be quite a scene for the on looking students. This had gone on long enough!

"Hermione… I'm not like that. I like girls, nothing happened. I fell and that's all. Some idiot just came along and cursed us at that moment!" Harry partially lied to her.

The whole Great Hall was buzzing after that and the angered wizard decided to storm out without hearing Hermione's reply.

'Nothing happened. Neither her nor Ron would understand… especially not Ron.' Harry thought angrily as he went to the first class of the day, unaware that he was sorry that the first thing he had thought of was true.

"Nothing happened." Harry breathed as he faced the day, absent of Draco's presence.

------------------

"You had those dreams again, didn't you."

The penetrating voice of the potions master drew Draco's attention. The dungeon was cold and icy, a perfect match for Professor Snape in Draco's opinion.

"Yes." The Slytherin replied; feeling like this scene had become a routine for them both.

"Well, considering I've already looked at them through occulmency, I am quite aware of their nature. As I have told you before, there isn't anything I can do to help you. If there is nothing new and pressing in them, I see nothing more to talk about. You need to face those problems by yourself." Snape said casually as he read through the second-year's papers on using dragon's skin rather than unicorn hair in warming drafts.

The silvery-blonde grimaced as his thoughts were confirmed, Snape would definitely not be willing to sort things out with him.

"If I'm not mistaken, you have some other things to sort out as well." The hook-nosed professor looked up at his student, waiting for some sort of reply.

Draco couldn't help but bite his bottom lip nervously before replying to that wonderful conversation topic.

"It's not my fault… Harry, well he pissed me off… then this bloody bitch came along and cursed us like that." The blonde floundered slightly as he tried to maintain his image in the eyes of his favorite teacher and godfather.

"You can't lie to me. If I wanted to I could search your entire mind. Fortunately for you, I don't have to. I already know how much you adore Potter. Considering your past, this comes as no surprise. But remember this… Harry isn't the same person as the one you lost." Snape's eyes bored into the young vampire, seemingly armed with painful truths.

"I know he isn't! I… he isn't there to take anyone's place. It was two completely different things. Erus has nothing to do with any of this. Harry isn't here to take his place. Erus was my friend… and Harry is…" The upset vampire's words trailed off frigidly.

"Erus… was _more_ than just your friend. I don't know everything that happened but I…" The professor was cut short.

"You don't know! You don't know what happened. No one knows what happened and it's no one's business but mine. I know what I feel for Harry… he's… he's my mate. I love him." Draco burst out, speaking the last sentence so that it was almost inaudible.

Silence followed the proclamation and the room was thick with tension between them both. Professor Snape just sat at his desk, staring at his inflamed godson, as he was torn between being reproachful or understanding.

"I'm sorry. Only you would know what has really happened. Just be careful. The last thing I want is for you to be hurt once again." The tired Professor said with difficulty.

Apologizing and being understanding were definitely two things the great potions master had not been specially endowed with.

The teenage boy simply nodded as he acknowledged his godfather's rare display of concern. Wrapping up the conversation with goodbyes, Draco left the chilly dungeons with a heart heavy with emotions and memories. The calluses that he had acquired that protected his heart seemed to be ineffective when dealing with this. Whenever he though of Erus or Harry, all of his defenses were useless. All of the coldness acquired from the Malfoy lineage seemed to melt instantly, shedding the apathy he used so well to protect himself. The feeling he had for them weren't the same. Harry is his mate and Erus was just something entirely different. Erus was… the vampire paused at this because he had no idea of exactly what the boy had been to him. A liberator he may have been, but not his mate. That was Harry, wasn't it?

'Harry… do we still have a chance with one another?' Draco breathed painfully as he made his way to his bed.

Tears seemed to cut down his face bitterly. No matter what, he knew what dream would come to him that night.

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Harry was sitting by the fireplace in the Slytherin Common Room. No one was there beside him and the fire had died out long ago. None other than Dumbledore himself had added a wing to the Slytherin dormitory. It was more 'practical' to do that according to Professor Snape. Papers cluttered the table in the middle of the circle of chairs near the fireplace. All the raven-haired wizard could do was stare at the tiny embers and remind himself unwillingly of the seemingly hopelessness of the situation. Now Harry would never get a girlfriend, as he had thought… unaware that he was really feeling that way because of an entirely different reason. The '**plaything**' incident was sweeping through his mind, reminding him of things he could not explain to himself.

'Why did that man say those things about Draco? 'You're only his plaything, vampires don't love.' That's what he had been told, but why? Why was that person trying to stop them from being friends? 'Vampires don't love.' What does that mean exactly? What did the person want from me? Harry traced the scars on his chest with his hand. Why do I feel so… empty inside? Has he become my closest friend so easily? What… what is he to me? I love him as my friend.' Harry thought with a vague feeling of guilt inside of himself, wanting to be told the answers to all of his questions.

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**Author:** I plan on updating soon. The holidays totally rock! But I must warn you; the next chapter is going to be incredibly sad. It may have a kind of song fic thing going on. It will be awesome. I get really emotional just thinking about it. This chapter made me very frustrated with Harry! How dense can he be, even though that is incredibly cute! -sigh- Hopefully Harry will discover what he really feels soon… but I guess that's up to me know isn't it. Hehehe… please review. I love to hear any comments… they are what motivates me to write.. Until next chapter then. 


	14. Dreams

**Author:** I'm sorry for the delay. Oh, by the way… in case any one was confused or doesn't know Latin, Stercum means Shit. That's what Draco was making fun of. Anyways, this has been a difficult chapter to write and I've changed it around so many times. I'm writing this story as I go along… I have the plot set in my head, but not all the little details. So here is both plot and detail, I hope you all enjoy and happy holidays.

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There was the dream… sleeping deeply the vampire had fallen into the very dream that he feared would come. Now all that was left was to relive all of those years at Mr. Stercom's 'special' home. Erus was always there, waiting for him. 

He could remember the carriage stopping at a derelict building, large but bleak. He was just a small boy thrown into the confines of a 'home' that he wasn't welcome. There was one big room in the entrance, hardly comparable to the grand Malfoy mansion. Draco stood there shivering, as he stood in wet clothes, painfully vulnerable. There was hardly any lighting and inside it was mercilessly cold.

"Take him to his room and get him cleaned up." Mr. Stercom said, walking though the door and pushing the shaking blonde forward.

The young Malfoy heir was dragged off to one side of the hall to find a corridor packed with many rooms. It was not badly decorated, but a miserable air clung about the place that even the halls of his mansion could not match. Through a wooden door, the young boy was left standing alone in the middle of his new bedroom with his bags.

"I'm going to _die_ here." The small blonde shivered as he felt panic spreading throughout his body.

"Then I'll kill you right now if you want me to."

Draco looked around himself as he tried to find the source of those dangerous words. On the bed behind him lied the speaker, eyes glowing mischievously in the semi-darkness.

"Who are you?" The young Malfoy jumped back in surprise while trying to suppress any fear that could weaken him.

"Erus." The black-haired boy almost glided from the bed it seemed to where the blond boy stood, trying hard to keep his façade together.

"I'm Draco Malfoy." He replied as strongly as he could, secretly stunned by the appearance of the slightly older boy.

Erus just stood there with a small smile on his face, analyzing the boy who was seven years his junior.

"Welcome to the house where everyone has been abandoned by their family so that they can be 'cured'. What are you… four?" The black-haired boy spoke almost condescendingly to Draco as he kneeled down so that they were about the same height.

"I'm six and a half." The young blond spoke proudly, irritated with the vampire.

"Six… you're just a shrimp. There's no bloody way you're six." He chucked lightly, fangs showing in a dangerous grin.

"I'm glad you find this so amusing. Just leave me alone so I can get better and leave this filthy place." Draco said pointedly.

"All alone… you think you can make it through things all alone? Well now aren't we the brave little vampire." Erus toyed with the younger boy's head until someone entered their room.

"Erus, come on." An adult witch spoke curtly as she stood there firmly in the doorway.

The witch's silvery hair was drawn back in gray ribbon and her face was weathered even though she was only in her late thirties. Draco could smell faint blood on her robes that she had been unable to wash away from her egg-white colored robes. A battered wand was entwined in the fingers of her right hand, the grip on it firm and unwavering. The silver-haired witch's eyes matched her mahogany wand, making her look antique and ancient. The coldness within them seemed to poison them, and the young vampire could never remember seeing a creature as wretched as she.

The playfulness had seemed to vanish from Erus' face all together. In an instant, as he looked at the ugly woman standing in the doorway, his soul had seemed to freeze as cold as the witch's eyes.

The black-haired vampire stood up without a word, avoiding the silver-haired boy's eyes. Draco was puzzled standing there, unable to figure out the cause of the change in the boy he had just met. As soon as he realized it, the door clicked shut and he was left all alone.

'He left… but where was he going?' Draco thought as the hours past. 'Should I go find him?'

The six-year-old bit his lip as he sat on his new bed and waited for his friend to return so that he could learn more about the place he was to survive in.

'Friend… is that what he is now? Father always said that friends were like servants that you had to _befriend_ in order to make them work for you. I want him to work for me… so he will be my friend.' Draco thought to himself, trying to use all of the lessons he had been taught to find a solution to his dilemma.

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It was just after five in the morning as Harry slept in an armchair by the common-room fireplace. The last embers of the flame had died out two hours ago and it had become very cold. It would be a few minutes until the sun rose and began to warm the winter cold. Posters advertising the Christmas ball were prominently placed on the walls and girl's fashion magazines littered tables and chairs. Even with all of the fuss made about it, Harry didn't even think about the ball. His mind was fixed, even in his sleep, on Draco.

The fireplace crackled as new life was given to it. A house-elf was no doubt responsible. The common room seemed to melt with the reviving fire, and Harry felt, coming out from his dreams, the blood returning to every inch of his body. If that had been the reason for the warmth, Harry could have forgiven himself. As the raven-haired boy lied in the soft armchair, the image of Draco lying next to him flashed across his closed eyes. The image excited Harry, intriguing the boy more than his mind would have ever wanted to allow.

'This wont hurt… I promise.' The seducing image of the blonde-haired vampire spoke playfully in Harry's dreams.

The Gryffindor's heart fluttered, as they got closer in his mind, making him want to devote himself to the seductive Slytherin forever. Harry's breathing had quickened along with his blood.

'Do I really want this… so much?' The green-eyed boy thought nervously to himself as he stared at the vampiric wizard.

He struggled with that thought as he tossed around on the armchair. His head finally came to rest on the arm of the chair, the rest of his body draped across the rest of it. It felt as if he was shaking with anticipation, a hand seeming to rest on his upper arm. Harry's eyes opened sleepily as he thought that Draco might actually be right there beside him. Snapping his eyes open and screaming at the sight of a pair of two large eyes, the stunned Gryffindor flailed and went tumbling as the chair flipped backwards.

"Are you alright Harry Potter?" Dobby's eyes peered down at the stunned boy with a questioning look.

At that moment, Harry had never wanted to curse someone as much as he did Dobby. The teen wizard's cheeks were brushed with red as he stood up.

"What in the _**hell**_ are you doing here Dobby?" Harry said angrily as he felt the once heated parts of his body go cold.

"Sorry Harry Potter. Dobby was sent here to get you. Professor McGonagall said that Harry Potter has detention in the Dungeons with Professor Snape this morning." Dobby squeaked, backing away from the fiery Gryffindor.

'Just fucking great.' Harry seethed as he began to let off of the timid house-elf.

"Okay Dobby, I'll be there." The raven-haired teen sighed as he looked apologetically at Dobby.

The clothed house-elf gave Harry a faint, satisfied smile before leaving quickly through the portrait hole.

"Detention with Snape… I can _hardly_ wait!" Harry said venomously as he rubbed his weary eyes with his palms.

After a moment of wondering how he could get out of it, Harry accepted defeat and retreated to the dormitory to get a change of clothes and try and tame his unruly hair.

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The young vampire had fallen asleep in his dream world; the strange bed had seemed to swallow him whole. Erus had not returned, even as the hours had passed by into early morning. The window-less room however, showed neither night nor morning and the little boy slept in the darkness of the solitary, warm room. Erus' empty bed stood adjacent to the sleeping vampire's, sadly absent of its usual occupant.

The door opened roughly as the shuffling of many feet, weighed down by something, came through it. There was screeching and struggling as they came closer and Draco lied still in his bed as he listened intently for any indication of what was going on. In the darkness, the young vampire could smell blood of many… including Erus. Draco's eyes were peeled open as he watched five wizards forcing his new friend down onto his bed. The same witch from earlier stood at the foot of the bed, wand held in her hand at ready.

"Concubius diremeri." She spoke and a pale silver light exploded from the tip of her wand and hit the black-haired vampire in the chest, causing him to fall quietly on the bed.

The breathe in Draco's chest has caught painfully inside of him, his eyes glued open as he studied the battered state of his sleeping friend. Slowly they all left, closing the door on the pair. The blonde shook as he got slowly from his bed and approached the other bed with caution. There the dark-haired vampire was spread across the bed, lying on his back. A forced silence had overcome his growing features, handsome and youthful. Blood had coagulated on his neck. Stains, from what had been a painful, wound now shown dully on his dark muggle clothing.

The young Malfoy heir's hand reached out tentatively to touch the vampire's limp right hand, covered like his neck in blood. There was no wound on them that Draco could see and the curious six-year-old pushed back the black shirtsleeve to find a myriad of wounds all over them. Horrified, Draco fell backwards in retreat; mouth open in astonishment of what must have happened to his roommate since he had first met him. Under his own bed, Draco crawled into its comforting darkness.

"They're going to do the same thing to me." Draco whispered in wide-eyed terror.

Now he knew what fear really was… selfish as it may have been. The little boy shook in fear as he felt his skin crawl on his arms and back. His muffled sobs were the music that would sing him to sleep from then on.

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**Author:** Okay! I just can't write any more on this today. Gosh I want to cry after that. I'll update as soon as I get some **reviews**. I need to know what you though. Thank you all for reading. 


	15. Coward

Author's Note: It's been so long… and finally my life sucks enough for me to continue writing all this angst. YAY! Enjoy and please review. Let the drama begin… or continue… yeah… that.

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Harry had made his way down to the dungeons with the usual amount of stares and glares. They made him feel… _dirty_.

'_What do I do…_' The Gryffindor's heart throbbed with despair and anguish.

Harry breathed heavily before pushing open the door to Snape's horrid domain. The smell of rotten potions and cauldron slime overwhelmed his sense of smell. With a sour expression, the raven-haired teen proceeded on into the room to sit in front of the crooked-nosed professor.

The elder one looked up from his scrolls and stared evenly at his captive for the next three hours.

"You will be cleaning all the cauldrons in this room, work tables as well. You will do this by hand as I trust it would be too easy for the wizarding world's hero to use magic." Harry imagined the Professor's tongue split like a snake and hissing at him as the venom was injected into those words.

"Get to it." Snape's eyes narrowed as he stood up.

"I will not be able to stay for your detention, so I'll be taking your wand to make sure you do the job right."

The green-eyed wizard thought this was out of the ordinary, as normally Snape loved nothing more than to see him suffer. Regardless, Harry grabbed the cleaning supplies left for him and went to it, cursing the cruel Professor aloud after he had left.

'I wonder where he is…' The Gryffindor thought painfully about the Slytherin; that thought consuming him for the entire duration of the punishment.

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Professor Snape pushed open the door to the Slytherin boy's dormitories, finding his godson to be the only one there.

'Nightmares again.' The dark-haired man's jaw clenched as he moved to his bedside.

The Potions Master's eyes fell upon the sleeping vampire's bandaged arm, curiosity tugging at his keen mind. His long, bony fingers went to work on the cloth as he unwrapped the covering.

'Blood.' The Professor's teeth nibbled on the inside of his bottom lip.

He was nervous to see what wound was there. So many rumors he had heard, but no one he encountered knew for certain. In truth, Snape knew more than he wanted to admit. The greasy-haired wizard could feel the dark magic of it, even though it wasn't in view.

The last bit of wrapping was tugged away gently as the Slytherin Head of House sat there in shock.

'The Dark Mark.'

Never did he imagine the glowing, bloody mark as being the source.

'Dumbledore knew… he knew and he didn't tell me!' Snape's eyes grew fiery as he thought of this. 'I should have been _told_. **Damn it.**'

After wrapping the Malfoy heir's arm hastily, the enraged Slytherin Head stormed out of the room, his winter cloak billowing furiously behind him.

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Draco's POV

The stone was cold and dirty beneath me as I awoke. The scent of Erus's blood was now so familiar to me. It was comfort, fear, and pain. I don't know how long I slept last night, but I have been lying here for hours like the fucking coward I am. FUCKING COWARD! I cried. I cried and whimpered and cowered. My nails dug into the crevices of the floor. It wasn't in one piece either. Not a whole… just fragments jammed together to make what they think is a floor. But it isn't. Erus groaned in his sleep, pain finding him even there. I don't want dreams like that. Mommy… please come and get me. My tears gathered in a pool underneath my turned face. Slowly the seeped down through the cracks leaving only damp stone. I choked on them, my lungs filled up with my anguish. I was crying aloud, crying alone and loudly, unrestrained. There's no point in pride. I curled my body closer and more tightly to me, even though I couldn't breathe even more.

"It's okay." I felt arms pull me weakly from my hiding place.

I was in the grasp of another vampire, one who wasn't crying like I was. Erus held me with all the strength he had left, trying to comfort me. Worthless bloody fucking me! And I just cried _more_. The scent of his blood was overwhelming me and I felt dizzy and sick. Faint… until I… slept.

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Snape tore up the stairs towards Gryffindor tower. While still aflame, it was contained from spreading with powerful Containment Charms. The Potions Master clutched a teal potion in his hand, just a vial. He now faced a test of his skills: the mass of flame before him. Without noticeable hesitation he downed the contents of the vial and counted to twenty in his head. Without a single glance back, he entered the fire and disappeared behind flames.

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Author: I'm sorry. It is a great spot to leave off at. Another chapter is coming though. I'm really in the mood to write. Should be here by the end of the month. Sorry it was so short. More though soon… _really_. So please review. Thank you all so much! Later. :D 


	16. Spread

Author's Note: I know you're angry that last chapter was the second shortest of this story, so therefore I didn't wait nine months more to update… and rushed this one out. It was a painful birth. Anyways, enjoy.

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-Draco Malfoy's POV- 

Awake in the Slytherin dorm, I pulled on my robes, noting that my hair had grown longer as it lied flat, relaxed down past my cheeks. I tried to block out Erus and all the nightmare figures that toyed with me as I slept.

'Tomorrow's the Ball.' I thought of a dance with Harry that would probably never happen.

I looked at my watch after I finished gathering my books for class. Something's wrong. My heart abruptly dropped when I remembered the detention with Harry was supposed to be today… and I missed it. Though I don't want to say I'm happy I missed him, I'm not sorry either. My mind relived the awkward scene of the other night.

'_Asshole_. Why the hell did _my_ mate have to be frickin' Harry god-damned Potter!' My fangs grew longer at the thought of his careless rejection.

Abandoned me. I felt like punching the wall until I forgot… well, everything.

My heart sank, an all-too familiar feeling. I grabbed my bottle of hair gel and applied it until my hair was securely back and out of my face. With my books, supplies, and wand I went to my first class knowing full well that Harry would be there, and I would have to face him.

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-Harry's POV-

The slimy feel of cauldron goop seemed to stay on my hands and arms no matter how much I scrubbed them with soap. The boy's lavatory was fairly vacant, considering that most everyone was already at class. What's worse is that I have Advanced Divination. Imagine what that crack-pot will see in my future…

I suppressed a groan as I splashed water into my face, my glasses discarded on the sink. I don't want to think about today… I don't want to think about today… I don't want to… My mantra as I went about, preparing for the day I didn't want. Malfoy will be there…

'I've become so… _cold_ towards him.' I felt my eyes dim and heart weigh heavily in my chest. 'I just… don't want to be looked at closely. If I let him, everyone will see more deeply into me. Could I handle that? Couldn't I just be the frickin' savior of the world and that be good enough? Couldn't that save me from public humiliation? I know it wouldn't, and I couldn't put both of us through that. I'd rather be hated than laughed at… or anyone laugh at Draco.'

With many stares and whispers, I climbed up to the tower where Divination would be. The door creaked loudly open and I felt the eyes of everyone as I made my way to the table with Ron at it. I avoided eye contact with everyone and opened my book to some random page, pretending to concentrate on it. Professor Trelawney, who had stopped to stare as well, promptly started "teaching" the class again about the tarot card spreads and how to interpret their meanings. Why I had to take this class, I will never know… but I'd like to kick the ass off the bloody prat that thought it was a good idea.

I was seething as I noticed Ron glancing at me now and then nervously as he broke out his Tarot deck.

"As you all know," The bug-eyed professor spoke airily, "you should have gotten Yetti's Aura-Molding Tarot cards. They should conform to the deck type most appropriate for you. This will help you to connect on an aural level with these, your tools, keys to the future itself. Begin with the spread on page 439 and do a reading for yourself for this coming year."

With all the incense filling the air, Harry barely knew when she stopped rambling on in her light inflected monotone. It was intoxicating, the scent. Ron abruptly nudged me, bringing me back to the present. I looked at him; both of us now felt a distance between us. We had a lot to patch up, but now was definitely not the time. I took out the pack of cards and shuffled them as we were instructed to in the book. Face down I arranged them in a pattern just as the book would have me.

All of our stuff had been singed to a crisp or we couldn't get to, so Hogwarts supplied us all with replacements… something about liability. I put aside the rest of the cards and flipped to the interpreting section of Yetti's Aura-Molding Tarot cards booklet.

"Okay everyone… everyone's finished laying them out, correct…" Professor Trelawney looked around the room in her typical bird-like manor. "Good, good. Now flip over the first card, paying careful attention to the deck type and the colors used throughout the deck. Funny thing, most decks have at least one card from another deck type. Pay close attention to these, as they often reflect changes and outside forces affecting you. Go on… turn turn turn the cards!"

She mad an urging movement with her ringed hands and proceeded to the other end of the room to analyze people's cards.

I looked at what the first card of the six-card spread was supposed to represent. "_The situation at hand_" I turned over the first card to be met with a dark card labeled, The Hierophant.

'What does that mean…' I thought as I looked up the answer.

'_The Hierophant: Fear of disapproval_…' That stuck in me. What followed seemed of no consequence… but that line… I couldn't help but fear as I turned over the next card.

'This one is supposed to represent the past…' I kept in mind as another major arcana card was revealed.

The Tower… I looked for it in the booklet.

'The Tower: Tragedy that brings about enlightenment, shattered dreams, destruction needed to rebuild.' My heart pounded.

Mother… Father… No, it's just damn cards. I snapped back to composure. I was not going to freak out over a stupid deck of cards! That card too had been in black and white… mostly black. I glanced over at Ron's cards to see what they were like.

In color? How come he gets _color_? Everyone else was talking lightly with one another, joking about each other's cards and laughing. I looked back down at my cards… so dull. There was nothing to them so far. Maybe the other ones will have color… I looked at the meaning of the next card position.

"_The Future if things continue on the way they are._"

This can't end well… my heart raced in my chest as I turned over the third card. It had a little bit of color I noticed while turning it over. There were two figures against a dark scene. One had long silver hair, a vampire by the look of it. He had his hand cupped against the cheek of the other. Black haired was the other who stood there with a softened expression. The color of his eyes was a vibrant emerald… the other had icy blue eyes with a fleck of red in them. That was the only color. Appearing beneath the picture was the card's title.

"**_The Lovers_**" was written in blood red.

My heart stood still. I held the card closer to me in my hand so that no one could see it.

"Harry dear… Harry." I started to see Professor Trelawney looking past her large specs in order to look into my face searchingly.

I looked at her frozen completely. I fumbled quickly with my deck to put the card back in to hide it. The Professor tried to help me with my deck, thinking I was having trouble following the book's directions. There, in the air, all the cards cascaded from my hands and onto the floor. Some face down and some face up, but all the ones you could discern were **_The Lovers_** proving **_The Hierophant_** to be an all to ironic card to have started with.

Everyone stared.

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Author's Note: I'm feeling REALLY UNLOVED here. PLEASE REVIEW. It's the reason I update at all. I love feedback… whatever kind… though positive would be nice of course. .' I hope to update soon so please review! –cries- yes… and there is enough tragedy and angst to go around… but it makes everything so much sweeter! ;D Later. 


	17. Flower

Author's Note: I had written part of ch. 17 already but unfortunately it's on a cd I can't access for some unknown reason. It totally sucks but I'll try and make this version of chapter 17 better. I hope you all enjoy and I apologize for the wait.

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**-Harry's POV-**

"Oh!" Professor Trelawney's eyes got even wider than normal, if that's even possible.

"Two guys…"

"Oh my god!" A girl squealed.

A chorus of whispers clouded the room. My heart ached as the horrible feeling of fear dipped down to the bottom of my stomach. Draco.

Seamus looked at me with a straight mouth and wondering eyes. Dean peered at me with a softer expression as he covertly held onto Seamus's hand for support. Ron was helplessly floundering in his seat as I stood expressionlessly blank looking down at the cards. I crouched down and picked them up one-by-one, postponing the reality of everyone ridiculing me. This wasn't like Rita Skeeter's absurd claims that I could shrug off. I don't want to be hated for who I really am and laughed at too! I've known of the chink in my armor all along.

"I'm not feeling very well. I'm going to go to the infirmary." I muttered before leaving with the tarot deck clutched in my right hand tightly.

This is Harry Potter… _running away_.

"Oh, okay then Ha…" I didn't even wait for Trelawney to finish before I bolted down the staircase.

Damn it Malfoy, what have you done to me! You've… undone everything. My nerve, courage, bravery and all the crap everyone thinks I am… Is that why I love you?

"A Partridge in a Pear Tree." I mumbled to the Fat Lady as I retreated to an afternoon of solitary moments.

Maybe the Ball wont be _so_ bad. That was a lie...

I know I'm fucking screwed. I dropped face down onto my bed, tarot cards spilling everywhere as I let go of their burden. If only the bed smelled of lavender like he does…

-------

**-Draco's POV-**

It's not like I _care_ about class anyway. I just felt… sort of guilty for not going. But I wasn't about to see _**him**_ all day. My fangs were elongated from my anger and frustrations.

"Well, my vengeance will be sweet." I smirked at myself in the mirror.

My dress robes were all black and form fitting. If this doesn't make him jealous, I don't know what will… I tied a thin silk ribbon around my neck and checked that my cloak wasn't on crooked.

And now for the piece de resistance…

"Draco, are you ready to go?" An Irish brogue came from the eastern flower that would hang on my arm tonight.

"Yeah." I smirked and left with her for the Ball.

And this is why, _Harry_, they tell you love's a bitch.

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Author: It's really, really short I know… but it felt like a good place to stop. Next chapter is going to be enormous so I wanted to trim a little bit first before you're swept up in all the events. Until next me meet, and thank you for your reviews!!! Enjoy. 


	18. Vengeance

Author's Note: God I love my readers!!! Thank you for your wonderful comments. They really inspire me to write and I'm so excited about this chapter. I hope that you find it to be everything I hope it will be for this pivotal event in the establishment of the Harry/Draco pairing. Enjoy!

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**-Harry's POV-**

My dress robes weren't the problem… it was the thought of seeing Draco that was making me jumpy. I sighed heavily as I snipped off a stray thread from my cuff.

"Uh Harry…" Ron rapped gently on the door before entering timidly.

"Yeah." I answered him, still perfecting my appearance.

"Um, I was wondering if you were ready to go to the Ball. Hermione and I are sort of going… together. But if you don't have a date we can all just go together." Ron spoke.

"No, that's all right Ron. I'll be fine." I smiled at him as I lied.

It wasn't fair that they should have a shitty time because I suck at relationships.

"Oh, um all right then. I guess we'll just… see you there." He flashed a forced smile before leaving to go with Hermione.

I shifted uncomfortably in front of the bedroom mirror; my bandaged chest bothered me as I tried to loosen their hold. Plaything… that word is scarred on me forever now. My doubts etched over my heart. Irony is something I will never appreciate.

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**-Draco's POV-**

No wonder Harry dumped her… I grimaced as Cho Chang talked incessantly to another Ravenclaw girl. There was Ron and Hermione… but still no Harry.

This Ball was slightly different than the one from Fourth year. It was darker and more intimate. The ceiling echoed the starry black sky from outside. The moon sparkled in a crescent providing a spotlight on the performing band. It was almost cozy considering it usually served as a huge Norse style banquet hall.

I heard whispers from behind me. It was Harry, I knew it… and confirmation came with a single glance of the wizard in black and emerald green. He had the power to take my breath away, but I'm determined to make him feel the way I have for all those years he hated me. If that's selfish, so be it. I'm a Malfoy after all. I can afford that.

"Oh look, there's Harry." The Chang girl whispered to me excitedly.

"I know."

With that the show began. Whisking Cho Chang to the dance floor, I intended to lay my Slytherin charm on thickly. I spun her and glided her all across the dance floor. To my **_utter delight_** I saw Harry in muffled shock and rage from the corner of my eye.

"Why Cho, you look smashing tonight… I'm so glad you agreed to accompany me as my date." I smirked when we were close enough for Harry to hear.

"Oh… To be honest I was surprised when you asked me." She said, seeming to choose not to elaborate why.

"Really…" I said in mock surprise.

"Yeah, well… I though you were um…" With every word Cho seemed to regret speaking about this even more.

"You thought I was what?" I asked, a bit of curiosity coming upon me.

"I… I thought you were _gay_." She barely spoke the last word, it was so soft.

My eyes widened momentarily as I wondered how to respond to that. I don't want to screw up my setup. Then it happened, Harry barged out to the gardens probably to sulk or rage.

"You know what…" I grinned and separated myself from her. "You're right. I'll be leaving now. Oh, and enjoy the Ball."

I dashed out to where the gardens were. There he was, sitting on a bench to the far right. Crying? I slowly made my way towards where Harry sat before a pair of piercing green eyes bore into me. He jumped up and pointed his wand at me.

"Harry…" I looked at him puzzled.

Did I really make him this mad?

"Stay the fuck away from me, Malfoy." He repressed a sob before darting into the labyrinth of overgrown bushes.

"Harry!" I yelled after him, exasperated.

This is not going to be pretty. Damn it Harry, why do you have to be that **_sensitive_**? My plan is obviously screwed. I sighed before venturing into the maze. I have a nagging feeling I'm going to be begging on my knees by the end of this night… and not in the way I'd have liked.

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**-Harry's POV-**

He's suck a fucking… asshole! I cried as I ran to the center. A fountain broke the painful quiet. The sound of falling water echoed off the five cold, stone walls that separated the different passages to here. The mist dampened my skin as I sat on the edge of the fountain's pool, my face bowed down in my hands. Crying so weakly… had I cried this much when Sirius died? Or when everyone just, one by one, fell at the hands of Voldemort? I can't remember. I can't remember a time without Draco by my side, his scent intoxicating me and making me weak at the knees.

Now I just want him to go away. Cho of all people… I can't believe he'd go to the Ball with _her_. Why'd he have to hurt me? Does he really not like me? I straightened to see his blue eyes staring at me from the edge of the center's circle.

"I told you to go away." I yelled at him bitterly bidding back the tears that threatened.

His expression blank he started towards me. My wand was in my hand the next second, pointed at the source of my pain.

"Make no mistake, Malfoy… I will knock your bloody head off if you take another step…" I started a threat.

He continued to walk to me. I stood to enforce my threat.

"Malfoy…" I glared, staring strongly in his eyes.

He never stopped.

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**-Draco's POV-**

Harry was wearing on my patience. Threatening me… like I'd buy it. Saint Potter, hurt _me_. I almost felt insulted.

His green eyes were trying to bear into me, but I never let them. I will make him know how he hurts me. I knocked his wand away with a quick slap and grabbed his shoulders. I felt him reel against me so I held on tighter.

"Get off me, Malfoy." He protested as he tried to swing his fists at me to no avail.

I wouldn't oblige so he kicked me in the shin. My leg throbbed in pain. That would bruise. I winced and shook him in my hands.

"I hate you!" He screamed before he slapped me.

I let go and took the blow. I was faintly aware that I had my head down, tears starting to leak from my eyes. Damn him for making me cry. Damn him!

"Well I love you." I spat at him bitterly, my fangs digging into my bottom lip.

My fists were balled in silent, trembling rage. I refused to look up and see his face.

"Then Cho… that was… well, what was that then? Huh?" He floundered to justify his pain.

"I… I wanted you to feel what I have felt." My head snapped up to stare him in the face.

My anger still boiled within me. Nothing he could say… nothing I could do would ease the memories of Harry chasing after that Cho or Weasley girl. His tears spilled down his face though he never blinked.

"I can't change my past. Don't you think I ever wanted to? But why the hell do I have to be the one to regret everything! It's not fair, Draco!" He shouted in tears as he clamped his eyes shut and turned his face from me.

"Harry I…"

"I, I, I… is that the only perspective you ever have on things? I am suffering for _your_ pride! It's true… Even if we were… together, could you suffer the public humiliation of dating a… a **_guy_**?" Harry cried in sorrow.

Silence divided us for a second as the only sound came from Harry's stifled sobs.

"Yes. I'd do anything for you." The wall of my heart shattered and broke away with those words.

Emerald Eyes softened. They melted in small streams of water. I watched them for an eternity.

Soft lips met mine as Emerald Doors closed. In my arms he melted into our sweet kiss. Now I could die without a single regret in the world.

We parted and he whispered to my heart alone.

"I love you too, Draco."

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Author's Note: It's not over!!! It's not even half over so stay in touch for more. I rated this "M" for a reason… I just haven't quite gotten there yet. I will eventually I promise. I hope you enjoyed and please review! I love reading your awesome words. Oh and by the way, yes I did tear up while writing this… Damn it Harry/Draco is just so touching sometimes! Until next chapter… 


	19. Twilight

Author's Note: This will be a short chapter. I'm actually very busy and the only reason I decided to update was because I was inspired by another really awesome, yet incomplete, Harry/Draco fic. Look for it under my favorites. I highly recommend it, when you're done with reading the latest chapter of my fic of course. xD Enjoy!

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The sky had faded softly in the deepened twilight as the Malfoy heir rested in the lap of the dark-haired savior. There on a white stone bench the two sat in innocent bliss from the close proximity of one another. Harry rested his back against the two walls of their solitary corner, stroking away any stray blonde hairs that would fall upon his pale lover's face. He sighed as he let his hand graze the peaceful boy's face, insides fluttering from the contact. How could he explain all of this? Harry asked that question to himself many times since their confessions of love only a half an hour ago. His lips, the Gryffindor noticed, look so soft and delicate. Would it be cliché to compare them to a rose's petals? The green-eyed teen bit the corner of his lip to suppress a smirk from thinking of what Draco's reaction would be to that bit of terribly sappy romanticism. 

"_Harry_." The Slytherin timidly spoke as he turned over and rose up to meet Harry's height.

Harry reacted with a soft '_hn_' sound as his green eyes softened to look into Draco's.

"I have to tell you something." The vampire's heart beat faster as he searched for the right words to tell his mate that he was such.

"What is it?" Harry's eyes shown calm concern as he quietly placed his right hand on the light-haired boy's left.

"I… it's just that I'm a vampire." This was obviously going to be difficult, the vampire felt in his anxious heart.

"So?" Draco's love said with a reassuring smile to him.

As he breathed a small sigh, Draco smiled and knew that he would understand… wouldn't he? The nagging uncertainty tore at his resolve.

"You're my mate, Harry."

There, it was done. Draco barely breathed as he watched intensely for a reaction.

"Mate?" The raven-haired one raised his eyebrow, still wearing a smile for Draco.

"Um, yeah. Vampire's have those." He was not making this easy for him.

There was a moment of silent thinking that crashed through their serenity. Harry was quite sure that he had no idea what the hell Draco was trying to get at. The Malfoy heir, on the other hand, was completely befuddled _how_ exactly he would tell Harry that they were destined to mate and become united in _**vampiric death**_ for possibly hundreds of years without completely scaring him the fuck off and destroying the still budding love between them.

'_I'm so fey_.' Draco inwardly collapsed and decided to bring it up later.

"Nevermind."

A curious expression captured the features of Harry's face as he watched his boyfriend resume the position he had been in a few minutes before. Draco closed his eyes and snuggled against Harry's bent right leg.

'It could wait.' The young vampire relaxed as Harry resumed stoking his silvery locks of hair.

All the while they were unaware that they were not alone. Hiding in a wall of bushes not to far away was a cloaked figure smiling with glee. The plan was working almost perfectly, a glint in the hardened eyes of the stalker smiled wickedly of cruel intentions.

"Good boy Draco." The whisper was barely audible to even the speaker.

'_Daddy loves you_…'

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Author: Muhahaha… oh yes I did go there. So yeah, review and you will get more. Until then, enjoy the delicious little cliffie I left for you. I know I will. –evil laughs- Later! 


	20. Cold

**Koiame's Note**: It has been a very long time! I'm very sorry, but for a very long time I found myself in a difficult point in life. Hopefully this will live up to your expectations. Enjoy! :D

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They walked along quietly towards the lake, a light snow falling upon them. The spells of warmth and cheer were fading as the cold swept towards the blushing pair. Their hands were not intertwined as most lovers would be. It was a painful separation, yet there was a connection between the hearts of the young wizards that comforted them.

'_How could they understand? I… I don't even understand._' Harry's securities were clouded in uncertainty.

The snow crunched softly with their footsteps. The lake was dark, yet lit by the waxing moon. The mountains seemed to hibernate. There was a hush, as if nature was watching keenly. The blue-eyed Slytherin cleared away a patch of snow with his wand so that he and his beau could lie down and gaze at the stars.

"Harry…" Draco looked into Emerald eyes. "Why are you afraid?"

"What?!" Harry's head bolted to his left side; where Draco lied.

"I can smell and feel your fear Harry, so please…"

Harry averted the vampire's searching gaze by looking back up to the heavens.

"This is the only place I've ever belonged. I don't want to care what they think…" Harry confessed with shame and frustration.

"Then don't care."

"That's easy to say but…"

"I can just make it easy for you…" The hot-headed vampire sat up to leave.

Harry hand grasped firmly around Draco's arm.

"Don't… just walk away." Harry warned him.

"Why not if… if you're not going to accept it." Draco spoke in puzzles to toy with his love's curiosity to punish him.

"Accept?"

"What we are." The handsome vampire alluded to the practicalities of their relationship. "More than just being gay."

These words were ones that caused panic and confusion to flutter around inside Harry.

'_I'm… a gay?_' Harry questioned and confirmed over and over, like an echo, inside his heart. '_How did it happen?_'

"I know these feelings are real to you. I know that if it was only that… I can't force this on you Harry!" The silver-haired seventeen-year-old cried out.

'_This is bad, what am I saying? I want to be with Harry! Idiot, how much of a moron could I be?_' Draco scolded himself.

Harry's fingers lost grip and swept away from Draco's arm before they formed a fist and knocked the blue-eyed boy over with a blow. Before the vampire knew what hit him, Harry was on top of him; the green-eyed wizard pinned down his arms.

"Don't give me things and take them away! What the fuck, Malfoy?! … we've known each other long enough to know what to say." Harry was yelling and crying traitorous tears.

The blonde-haired Slytherin looked defiantly up at the Gryffindor.

"Don't fuck with me. We've been through enough. I'm only human Draco… I have doubts and fears. More than anyone…" Harry said breathlessly. "More than anyone, you've put me on a pedestal."

Draco turned his head away and mulled over what Harry said.

"I'm sorry." The vampire grunted gently.

Harry grabbed at his chest with one hand. The pain had returned and he knew what the wetness now covering his hand was. Draco grabbed his hand, smelling the blood.

"Harry..." The Malfoy boy's eyes widened.

The Gryffindor rolled over onto his back; panting heavily. "It's okay."

"It's not okay! What's going on?" Draco protested as he leaned over his love.

"It's just some injuries from the fire flaring up." Harry lied through his teeth.

'_I can't let him see…_' The raven-haired boy pleaded with his luck.

"It's from that night isn't it?!" The vampire remembered the injury he had been chased away by Harry over.

'_No…_' Harry pleaded with this cold reality.

Draco scooped the bloody wizard into his arms and shifted him quickly away. He laid Harry on a clean bed in the hospital wing before rushing away to find Madam Pomfrey at the Ball. In the darkness Harry felt his stomach churn with worried anticipation.

'_How am I going to explain… the doubt… carved in my skin._' Harry labored under the weight of an eternity.

The door clicked open and light came flooding in.

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**Koiame:** It was a fairly long chapter. It was really challenging getting back into the writing style of this fanfiction because my writing has changed so much since the last time. Hope it was bearable. Please drop me some reviews and let me know what you think. ^.^


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